Solid-state synthesis of ZnTe in shock waves

Shock front velocities in a heterogeneous stoichiometric zinc-tellurium mixture in cylindrical capsules were measured at normal and elevated temperatures. In the range of preheating temperatures of 150–300$^\circ$C, the velocity of a strong shock wave was found to increase by 0.91 km/sec, which is attributed to the occurrence of an exothermic reaction in the zone of high dynamic pressures with an increase in the specific volume. The average velocity of a weak shock wave increased by 0.31 km/sec in the far region of the reaction cell as the preheating temperature of the stoichiometric Zn–Te mixture increased by 150$^\circ$C. X-ray structure analysis of the shock-recovered products showed almost complete transformation of the reactants with the formation of the cubic ZnTe phase. Theoretical calculations of the acceleration of the shock front velocity due to the reaction in the Zn–Te mixture were conducted. The occurrence of solid-state detonation in the tested mixture is assumed.