Intense Reactivity in Sulfur–Hydrogen Mixtures at High Pressure under X-ray Irradiation

Abstract

Superconductivity near room temperature in the sulfur-hydrogen system arises from a sequence of reactions at high pressures, with X-ray diffraction experiments playing a central role in understanding these chemical-structural transformations and the corresponding S:H stoichiometry. Here we document X-ray irradiation acting as both a probe and as a driver of chemical reaction in this dense hydride system. We observe a reaction between molecular hydrogen (H₂) and elemental sulfur (S₈) under high pressure, induced directly by X-ray illumination, at photon energies of 12 keV using a free electron laser. The rapid synthesis of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) at 0.3 GPa was confirmed by optical observations, spectroscopic measurements, and microstructural changes detected by X-ray diffraction. These results document X-ray induced chemical synthesis of superconductor-forming dense hydrides, revealing an alternative production strategy and confirming the disruptive nature of X-ray exposure in studies on high-pressure hydrogen chalcogenides, from water to high-temperature superconductors.