Pressure is a fundamental thermodynamic variable that can be used to control the properties of materials, because it reduces interatomic distances and profoundly modifies electronic orbitals and bonding patterns. It is thus a versatile tool for the creation of exotic materials not accessible at ambient conditions. Recently developed static and dynamic high-pressure experimental techniques have led to the synthesis of many functional materials with excellent performance: for example, superconductors, superhard materials and high-energy-density materials. Some of these advances have been aided and accelerated by first-principles crystal-structure searching simulations. In this Review, we discuss recent progress in high-pressure materials discovery, placing particular emphasis on the record high-temperature superconductivity in hydrogen sulfide and on nanotwinned cubic boron nitride and diamond, the hardest known materials. Energy materials and exotic chemical materials obtained under high pressures are also discussed. The main drawback of high-pressure materials is their destabilization after pressure release; this problem and its possible solutions are surveyed in the conclusions, which also provide an outlook on the future developments in the field.

压力是基本的热力学变量，可用于控制材料的特性，因为它减少了原子间的距离并深刻地改变了电子轨道和键合模式。因此，它是用于创建在环境条件下无法访问的奇特材料的通用工具。最近开发的静态和动态高压实验技术已经导致合成了许多性能优异的功能材料：例如超导体，超硬材料和高能量密度材料。第一原理的晶体结构搜索模拟已帮助并加速了其中一些进步。在这篇评论中，我们讨论了高压材料发现的最新进展，特别强调记录在硫化氢中的高温超导性，以及纳米孪晶立方氮化硼和金刚石（已知最难的材料）。还讨论了在高压下获得的能源材料和特殊化学材料。高压材料的主要缺点是压力释放后不稳定。结论中对这一问题及其可能的解决方案进行了概述，并对本领域的未来发展提供了展望。