Structure vs. composition: A solid-state H and Si NMR study of quenched glasses along the Na2O-SiO2-H2O join

A suite of six hydrous (7 wt.% H₂O) sodium silicate glasses spanning sodium octasilicate to sodium disilicate in composition were analyzed using ²⁹Si single pulse (SP) magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ¹H-²⁹Si cross polarization (CP) MAS NMR, and fast MAS ¹H-NMR. From the ²⁹Si SPMAS data it is observed that at low sodium compositions dissolved water significantly depolymerizes the silicate network. At higher sodium contents, however, dissolved H₂O does not affect a significant increase in depolymerization over that predicted based on the Na/Si ratio alone. The fast MAS ¹H-NMR data reveal considerable complexity in proton environments in each of the glasses studied. The fast MAS ¹H-NMR spectra of the highest sodium concentration glasses do not exhibit evidence of signficantly greater fractions of dissolved water as molecular H₂O than the lower sodium concentration glasses requiring that the decrease in polymerization at high sodium contents involves a change in sodium solution mechanism. Variable contact time ¹H-²⁹Si cross polarization (CP) MAS NMR data reveal an increase in the rotating frame spin lattice relaxation rate constant (T_1ρ*) for various Qⁿ species with increasing sodium content that correlates with a reduction in the average ¹H-²⁹Si coupling strength. At the highest sodium concentration, however, T_1ρ* drops significantly, consistent with a change in the Na₂O solution mechanism.     

Polymerization of silicate and aluminate tetrahedra in glasses,melts, and aqueous solutions—V. The polymeric structure of silica in albite and anorthite composition glass and the devitrification of amorphous anorthite

²⁹Si MAS NMR experiments have been carried out to determine the silica species distribution (Q distribution) in albite, NaAlSi₃O₈, and anorthite, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, composition glasses (designated albite and anorthite glass). Our results indicate that the Q distribution of albite glass contains all five possible silica species and shows a tendency towards high Q₃ and Q₄ concentrations, whereas anorthite glass does not contain Q₄ and has a high Q₀ concentration. Rationalizations are made in terms of the observed Q distributions to explain differences in devitrification behavior of these two glasses. ²⁷Al MAS NMR data for these glasses suggest that differences in devitrification behavior between these two glasses should be ascribed to small growth rates rather than small nucleation rates of crystalline albite from albite glass.     

Structure of hydrous aluminosilicate glasses along the diopside-anorthite join: A comprehensive one- and two-dimensional H and Al NMR study

We have taken a systematic approach utilizing advanced solid-state NMR techniques to gain new insights into the controversial issue concerning the dissolution mechanisms of water in aluminosilicate melts (glasses). A series of quenched anhydrous and hydrous (∼2 wt% H₂O) glass samples along the diopside (Di, CaMgSi₂O₆)—anorthite (An, CaAl₂Si₂O₈) join with varying An components (0, 20, 38, 60, 80, and 100 mol %) have been studied. A variety of NMR techniques, including one-dimensional (1D) ¹H and ²⁷Al MAS NMR, and ²⁷Al → ¹H cross-polarization (CP) MAS NMR, as well as two-dimensional (2D) ¹H double-quantum (DQ) MAS NMR, ²⁷Al triple-quantum (3Q) MAS NMR, and ²⁷Al → ¹H heteronuclear correlation NMR (HETCOR) and 3QMAS/HETCOR NMR, have been applied. These data revealed the presence of SiOH, free OH ((Ca,Mg)OH) and AlOH species in the hydrous glasses, with the last mostly interconnected with Si and residing in the more polymerized parts of the structure. Thus, there are no fundamental differences in water dissolution mechanisms for Al-free and Al-bearing silicate melts (glasses), both involving two competing processes: the formation of SiOH/AlOH that is accompanied by the depolymerization of the network structure, and the formation of free OH that has an opposite effect. The latter is more important for depolymerized compositions corresponding to mafic and ultramafic magmas.Aluminum is dominantly present in four coordination (Al^IV), but a small amount of five-coordinate Al (Al^V) is also observed in all the anhydrous and hydrous glasses. Furthermore, six-coordinate Al (Al^VI) is also present in most of the hydrous glasses. As Al of higher coordinations are favored by high pressure, Al^VIOH and Al^VOH may become major water species at higher pressures corresponding to those of the Earth’s mantle.     

29Si and 27Al magic-angle-spinning NMR studies of the thermal transformation of kaolinite

Thermal transformations of kaolinite of different degree of crystallinity have been monitored by ²⁷Al and ²⁹Si high-resolution NMR with magic-angle spinning (MAS NMR), X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, atomic absorption spectrophotometry and thermogravimetric analysis. NMR shows differences in the dehydroxylation process of kaolinites with different degree of crystallinity and reveals the presence of short-range order in metakaolinite. ²⁹Si NMR spectra acquired with a 30 s recycle delay of poorly and highly crystalline samples heated at 480 and 500° C, respectively, contain three distinct signals; we discuss their assignment in the light of experiments involving leaching of the samples with aqueous KOH. Ca. 40% of Si sites retain their original Q ³ symmetry just above the onset of dehydroxylation and the Q ⁴ environment is present showing that a small amount of amorphous silica has already segregated. The spectrum of samples treated at 1000° C contains a signal at -110ppm (from Q ⁴ silicons) and a faint resonance, from mullite, at ca. -87 ppm. ²⁹Si NMR also shows that cristobalite germs are already present at 950–1000° C. The ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra of metakaolinite reveal the presence of 4-, 5-and 6-coordinated Al. Changes in the three Al populations as a function of temperature have been monitored quantitatively. Below 800° C, 4-and 5-coordinated Al appears at the expense of 6-coordinated Al, but above 800° C the amount of 6-coordinated Al increases again. We suggest a dehydroxylation scheme which accounts for the presence of 4-and 5 coordinated Al. Above 900–950° C the latter signal is no longer present in the ²⁷Al NMR spectra and new 4-and 6-coordinated Al species (mullite and γ-alumina) appear. We propose new ideas for the structure of metakaolinite.     

Insight into sodium silicate glass structural organization by multinuclear NMR combined with first-principles calculations

Short and medium range order of silica and sodium silicate glasses have been investigated from a quantitative analysis of ²⁹Si MAS NMR and ²³Na, ¹⁷O MQMAS NMR spectra. The method described enables the extraction of the underlying ¹⁷O NMR parameter distributions of bridging oxygens (BOs) and non-bridging oxygens (NBOs), and yields site populations which are confirmed by ²⁹Si NMR data. The extracted NMR parameter distributions and their variations with respect to the glass chemical composition can then be analyzed in terms of local structural features (bond angles and bond lengths, coordination numbers) with the help of molecular dynamics simulations combined with first-principles calculations of NMR parameters. Correlations of relevant structural parameters with ²³Na, ²⁹Si and ¹⁷O NMR interactions (isotropic chemical shift δ_iso, quadrupolar coupling constant C_Q and quadrupolar asymmetry parameter η_Q) are re-examined and their applicability is discussed. These data offer better insights into the structural organization of the glass network, including both chemical and topological disorder. Adding sodium to pure silica significantly diminishes the Si-O-Si bond angles and leads to a longer mean Si-O bond length with a slight decrease of the mean Na-O bond length. Moreover, the present data are in favor of a homogeneous distribution of Na around both oxygen species in the silicate network. Finally, our approach was found to be sensitive enough to investigate the effect of addition of a small quantity of molybdenum oxide (about 1 mol%) on the ¹⁷O MAS spectrum, opening new possibilities for investigating the Mo environment in silicate glasses.     

29Si and 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy of mullite

A ²⁹Si and ²⁷Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance study is reported for differently synthesized mullites. The ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra of all samples are essentially identical. They consist of a main resonance at -86.8 ppm, a shoulder around -90 ppm and a second resonance at -94.2 ppm. The main resonance is interpreted as being due to a sillimanite-type geometry around Si and the second one is tentatively assigned to a Si environment typical for mullite. The ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra of sinter- and fused-mullite measured at different Larmor frequencies revealed clearly the presence of three distinct Al sites in mullite, i.e. of octahedral (M1), tetrahedral (M2) and distorted tetrahedral (Al^*) sites.     

Structural properties of reduced Upton montmorillonite

Reduction of octahedral Fe in the crystalline structure of smectites influences, possibly controls, surface-sensitive physical and chemical properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate if reduction of structural Fe by Na-dithionite or bacteria affects the chemical environment of constituent cations in montmorillonite, employing solid state multinuclear (²⁹Si and ²⁷Al) magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy. Reduction of structural Fe resulted in a positive (down field) chemical shift of the main Si Q³ (Q³(0Al)) site which was strongly correlated with Fe(II) content and inferred that distortions in Si-OT (T=Si, Al) bond angles and Si-O bond lengths occur with increasing layer charge. The line width (W) of the ²⁹Si Q³ signal also increased with increasing levels of reduction. No change occurred in the position of the peak maximum for the octahedral Al (²⁷Al_VI) signal; however, an increased W was observed for this peak with increasing Fe(II) content. These results are attributed to decreases in Si-O-T bond angles and Si-O bond distances, corresponding to a better fit between the tetrahedral and octahedral sheets brought about by the presence of Fe(II) in the clay structure. The increased ²⁷Al_VI signal width (W) may also be due to a lessening of the paramagnetic influence of Fe(III) nuclei and enhancement of ²⁷Al_VI signals with different quadrupole coupling constants (QCC). Multinuclear MAS NMR analyses of dithioniteand microbially-reduced montmorillonite indicate that reduction of structural Fe caused reversible changes in the smectite structure, at least as far as this method could discern.     

Pressure-induced structural changes and densification of vitreous MgSiO3

Compression of MgSiO₃ glass in a 6/8 multianvil apparatus to 10.0 ± 0.5 GPa results in demonstrable changes in density and silicon coordination. Under high-pressure, samples were heated over a range of temperatures from 300 to 773 K, quenched to room temperature and decompressed at rates of 10.4 and 0.08 GPa/min. Recovered glasses have bulk densities that are 2.6-11.0% higher than the non-compressed glass. ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra of compressed glasses show narrowing of the ^[4]Si peak resulting from a reduction in the spread of the Si-O-Si bond angle distribution. After heating and rapid decompression, ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra of recovered glasses exhibit peaks assignable to ^[4]Si, ^[5]Si, and ^[6]Si with relative fractions of 0.945, 0.045, and 0.008, respectively. These changes in Si coordination and in Si-O-Si bond angle distribution with pressure only represent part of the structural changes associated with permanent densification of heated and unheated samples. The abundance of ^[6]Si is found to be insensitive to decompression rate, while ^[5]Si reverts to ^[4]Si on slow decompression at room temperature. These observations demonstrate that high-coordinated silicon species in MgSiO₃ glass are formed on compression below glass transition temperatures and that pressure-induced structural changes can be preserved with rapid decompression. The ease with which ^[5]Si reverts to ^[4]Si during decompression suggests that the conversion of ^[4]Si → ^[5]Si principally involves short-range atomic displacement. The reversible and irreversible features of densification of MgSiO₃ glass, provide insights into the fundamental structural and rheological properties of refractory silicate melts similar to those found in the Earth’s mantle.     

Extent of diagenetic transformations in severely altered biogenic silica deposits from Tunisia: new insights from mineralogy and geochemistry

Sedimentary biogenic silica from Redeyef in Gafsa basin (southern Tunisia) was analysed for its ²⁹Si and ²⁷Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR) spectra and complemented by X-ray diffraction and SEM observations. The ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectrum is characterized by the abundance of hydroxylated silicon, displayed in resonance intensities and reflects a clear tendency towards dissolution of diatomaceous amorphous silica and the occurrence of the hydrated silica, which is the main component that ensures the diagenetic transition via the mechanism of dissolution–precipitation to other more crystalline silica phases, after the lost of its hydroxyls groups (water) by heating (burial). ²⁷Al MAS NMR reveals two coordinations of Al; the octahedrally coordinated Al suggests the presence of clay relics trapped during crystal growth or a microcrystalline zeolite (clinoptilolite detected by SEM observations), while the tetrahedrally coordinated Al suggests the presence of minor quantities of minerals with tetrahedral Al, such as an Al-rich fluid and/or minerals such as feldspars.     

Association of dissolved aluminum with silica: Connecting molecular structure to surface reactivity using NMR

We studied uptake mechanisms for dissolved Al on amorphous silica by combining bulk-solution chemistry experiments with solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance techniques (²⁷Al magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR, ²⁷Al{¹H} cross-polarization (CP) MAS NMR and ²⁹Si{¹H} CP-MAS NMR). We find that reaction of Al (1 mM) with amorphous silica consists of at least three reaction pathways; (1) adsorption of Al to surface silanol sites, (2) surface-enhanced precipitation of an aluminum hydroxide, and (3) bulk precipitation of an aluminosilicate phase. From the NMR speciation and water chemistry data, we calculate that 0.20 (±0.04) tetrahedral Al atoms nm⁻² sorb to the silica surface. Once the surface has sorbed roughly half of the total dissolved Al (∼8% site coverage), aluminum hydroxides and aluminosilicates precipitate from solution. These precipitation reactions are dependent upon solution pH and total dissolved silica concentration. We find that the Si:Al stoichiometry of the aluminosilicate precipitate is roughly 1:1 and suggest a chemical formula of NaAlSiO₄ in which Na⁺ acts as the charge compensating cation. For the adsorption of Al, we propose a surface-controlled reaction mechanism where Al sorbs as an inner-sphere coordination complex at the silica surface. Analogous to the hydrolysis of , we suggest that rapid deprotonation by surface hydroxyls followed by dehydration of ligated waters results in four-coordinate (>SiOH)₂Al(OH)₂ sites at the surface of amorphous silica.     

Cation field strength effects on high pressure aluminosilicate glass structure: Multinuclear NMR and La XAFS results

We examined aluminosilicate glasses containing a variety of network modifying to intermediate cations (Li, La, Sc, and Fe), quenched from melts at 1 atm to 8 GPa, to further investigate the role of cation field strength in Al coordination changes and densification. ²⁷Al Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) reveals that the mean Al coordination increases with increasing pressure in the Li-containing glasses, which can be explained by a linear dependence of fractional change in Al coordination number on cation field strengths in similar K-, Na-, and Ca-containing aluminosilicate glasses (K < Na < Li < Ca). Measured recovered densities follow a similar linear trend. In contrast, the La-containing glasses have significantly lower mean Al coordination numbers at given pressures than the cation field strength of La and glass density would predict. La L₃ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy results indicate a significant increase with pressure in average La-O bond distances, suggesting that La and Al may be “competing” for higher coordinated sites and hence that both play a significant role in the densification of these glasses, especially in the lower pressure range. However, in Na aluminosilicate glasses with small amounts of Sc, ⁴⁵Sc NMR reveals only modest Sc coordination changes, which do not seem to significantly affect the mean Al coordination values. For a Li aluminosilicate glass, ¹⁷O MAS and multiple quantum magic angle spinning (3QMAS) NMR data are consistent with generation of more highly coordinated Al at the expense of non-bridging oxygen (NBO), whereas La aluminosilicate glasses have roughly constant O environments, even up to 8 GPa. Finally, we demonstrate that useful ²³Na and ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra can be collected for Ca-Na aluminosilicate glasses containing up to 5 wt.% Fe oxide. We discuss the types of structural changes that may accompany density increases with pressure and how these structural changes are affected by the presence of different cations.     

Si,Al ordering in leucite by high-resolution 27Al MAS NMR spectroscopy

High-resolution ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra of natural leucite recorded at H ₀=11.7T contain three resolvable resonances at ²⁷Al δ _i = 69.2, 64.7, and 61.0±0.5 ppm. These three resonances are assigned to the three inequivalent framework positions of leucite: T3, T2, and T1, respectively. Fitting the observed spectra yields a Si,Al distribution for leucite in which approximately one-half of the Al is in T1 and one-quarter in each of T2 and T3. This Si,Al distribution differs substantially from those obtained by previous workers using ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. New ²⁹Si NMR spectra and revision of previously reported ²⁹Si NMR peak assignments, however, make the ²⁷Al and ²⁹Si NMR results consistent. The ²⁷Al δ _i correlate linearly with the mean T-O-T′ bond angles of the average structure, which allows the peak assignments to be made. However, this correlation lies distinctly toward higher frequency and larger bond angles than correlations for Si,Al ordered aluminosilicates, suggesting that the mean T(Al)-O-T′(Si) bond angle for each site in leucite is smaller than the mean bond angle of the average structure, which is averaged over T(Al)-O-T′(Si) and T(Si)-OT′(Si,Al) angles.     

Water solubility mechanism in hydrous aluminosilicate glasses: information from Al MAS and MQMAS NMR

New ²⁷Al NMR data are presented in order to clarify the discrepancies in the interpretation of the previous ²⁷Al Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) spectra from hydrous aluminosilicate glasses. The ²⁷Al MAS data have been collected at much higher magnetic field (14.1 and 17.6 T) than hitherto, and in addition, multiple quantum (MQ) MAS NMR data are presented for dry and hydrous nepheline glasses and NaAlSi_7.7O_17.4 glass that, according to the model of Zeng et al. (Zeng Q., Nekvasil H., and Grey C. P. 2000. In support of a depolymerisation model for water in sodium aluminosilicate glasses: Information from NMR spectroscopy. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta64, 883-896), should produce a high fraction (up to 30%) of Al in Al Q³-OH on hydration. Although small differences in the MAS spectra of anhydrous and hydrous nepheline glasses are observed, there is no evidence for the existence of significant (>∼2%) amounts of Q³ Al-OH in these glasses in either the MAS or MQMAS data.     

Elemental and isotopic (Si and O) tracing of glass alteration mechanisms

To better understand glass alteration mechanisms, especially alteration layers formation, leaching experiments of a borosilicate glass (SON68) doped with a different rare earth element (La, Ce, or Nd) with solutions rich in ²⁹Si and ¹⁸O were carried out. The coupled analyses of glass, alteration products, and solution led to a complete elemental and isotopic (²⁹Si and ¹⁸O) budget. They revealed different behaviours of elements that depend not only on their structural role in the glass, but also on their affinity for alteration products (gel, phyllosilicates, phosphates). However, analyses of both glass and solution are not sufficient to describe the real exchanges occurring between glass and solution. The use of ²⁹Si and ¹⁸O tracers gives new insights on the formation of alteration layers. During alteration the phyllosilicates records the isotopic variations of the leaching solution. Their isotopic signatures highlight a mechanism of dissolution/precipitation, which implies equilibrium between the secondary phases and the solution. On the other hand the gel isotopic signature, that is intermediate between the glass and the solution, substantiates the hypothesis that the gel is formed by hydrolysis/condensation reactions. This mechanism can thus explain the influence of the gel formation conditions (alteration conditions, solution saturation) on the structure (reorganisation) and texture (porosity) of this layer and on its protective effect. These hydrolysis/condensation reactions are also certainly involved in the aluminosilicate glass alteration and in the formation of palagonite.     

Experimentally determined dissolution kinetics of Na-rich borosilicate glass at far from equilibrium conditions: Implications for Transition State Theory

The dissolution kinetics of five chemically complex and five chemically simple sodium silicate glass compositions (Na-Si±Al±B) were determined over a range of solution saturation values by varying the flow-through rates (1-100 mL/d) in a dynamic single-pass flow-through (SPFT) apparatus. The chemically complex borosilicate glasses are representative of prospective hosts for radioactive waste disposal and are characterized by relatively high molar Si/(Si + Al) and Na/(Al + B) ratios (>0.7 and >1.0, respectively). Analysis by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) indicates that the fraction of ^ivB to ⁱⁱⁱB (N₄) varies from 0.66 to 0.70. Despite large differences in bulk chemistry, values of δ²⁹Si peak shift determined by MAS-NMR varies only by about 7 ppm (δ²⁹Si = −94 to −87 ppm), indicating small differences in polymerization state for the glasses. Forward rates of reaction measured in dynamic experiments converge (average log₁₀ rate [40 °C, pH 9] = −1.87 ± 0.79 [g/(m² d)]) at high values of flow-rate (q) to sample surface area (S). Dissolution rates are independent of total Free Energy of Hydration (FEH) and this model appears to overestimate the impact of excess Na on chemical durability. For borosilicate glass compositions in which molar Na > Al + B, further addition of Na appears to stabilize the glass structure with respect to hydrolysis and dissolution. Compared to other borosilicate and aluminosilicate glasses, the glass specimens from this study dissolve at nearly the same rate (0-∼56×) as the more polymerized glasses, such as vitreous reedmergnerite (NaBSi₃O₈), albite, and silica. Dissolution of glass follows the order: boroaluminosilicate glass > vitreous reedmergnerite > vitreous albite > silica glass, which is roughly the same order of increasingly negative ²⁹Si chemical shifts. The chemical shift of ²⁹Si is a measure of the extent of bond overlap between Si and O and correlates with the forward rate of reaction. Thus, dissolution appears to be rate-limited by rupture of the Si-O bond, which is consistent with the tenants of Transition State Theory (TST). Therefore, dissolution at far from equilibrium conditions is dependent upon the speed of the rate-controlling elementary reaction and not on the sum of the free energies of hydration of the constituents of boroaluminosilicate glass.     

Solution mechanisms of H2O in depolymerized peralkaline melts

Solubility mechanisms of water in depolymerized silicate melts quenched from high temperature (1000°-1300°C) at high pressure (0.8-2.0 GPa) have been examined in peralkaline melts in the system Na₂O-SiO₂-H₂O with Raman and NMR spectroscopy. The Na/Si ratio of the melts ranged from 0.25 to 1. Water contents were varied from ∼3 mol% and ∼40 mol% (based on O = 1). Solution of water results in melt depolymerization where the rate of depolymerization with water content, ∂(NBO/Si)/∂X_H2O, decreases with increasing total water content. At low water contents, the influence of H₂O on the melt structure resembles that of adding alkali oxide. In water-rich melts, alkali oxides are more efficient melt depolymerizers than water. In highly polymerized melts, Si-OH bonds are formed by water reacting with bridging oxygen in Q⁴-species to form Q³ and Q² species. In less polymerized melts, Si-OH bonds are formed when bridging oxygen in Q³-species react with water to form Q²-species. In addition, the presence of Na-OH complexes is inferred. Their importance appears to increase with Na/Si. This apparent increase in importance of Na-OH complexes with increasing Na/Si (which causes increasing degree of depolymerization of the anhydrous silicate melt) suggests that water is a less efficient depolymerizer of silicate melts, the more depolymerized the melt. This conclusion is consistent with recently published ¹H and ²⁹Si MAS NMR and ¹H-²⁹Si cross polarization NMR data.     

Solubility mechanisms of fluorine in peralkaline and meta-aluminous silicate glasses and in melts to magmatic temperatures

Structural interaction between dissolved fluorine and silicate glass (25°C) and melt (to 1400°C) has been examined with ¹⁹F and ²⁹Si MAS NMR and with Raman spectroscopy in the system Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ as a function of Al₂O₃ content. Approximately 3 mol.% F calculated as NaF dissolved in these glasses and melts. From ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy, four different fluoride complexes were identified. These are (1) Na-F complexes (NF), (2) Na-Al-F complexes with Al in 4-fold coordination (NAF), (3) Na-Al-F complexes with Al in 6-fold coordination with F (CF), and (4) Al-F complexes with Al in 6-fold, and possibly also 4-fold coordination (TF). The latter three types of complexes may be linked to the aluminosilicate network via Al-O-Si bridges.The abundance of sodium fluoride complexes (NF) decreases with increasing Al/(Al + Si) of the glasses and melts. The NF complexes were not detected in meta-aluminosilicate glasses and melts. The NAF, CF, and TF complexes coexist in peralkaline and meta-aluminosilicate glasses and melts.From ²⁹Si-NMR spectra of glasses and Raman spectra of glasses and melts, the silicate structure of Al-free and Al-poor compositions becomes polymerized by dissolution of F because NF complexes scavenge network-modifying Na from the silicate. Solution of F in Al-rich peralkaline and meta-aluminous glasses and melts results in Al-F bonding and aluminosilicate depolymerization.Temperature (above that of the glass transition) affects the Qⁿ-speciation reaction in the melts, 2Q³ ⇔ Q⁴ + Q², in a manner similar to other alkali silicate and alkali aluminosilicate melts. Dissolved F at the concentration level used in this study does not affect the temperature-dependence of this speciation reaction.     

Water dissolution in albite melts:: Constraints from ab initio NMR calculations

Hartree-Fock and B3LYP NMR calculations were performed at the 6-311+G(2df,p) level on cluster models representing albite glasses using B3LYP/6 to 31G* optimized geometries. Calculation results on several well-known crystalline materials, such as low albite and KHSi₂O_5, were used to check the accuracy of the calculation methods.Calculated ²⁹Si-NMR results on clusters that model protonation of Al-O-Si linkages and the replacement of Na⁺ by H⁺ indicate a major increase in Si-O(H) bond length and a 5 ppm difference in δ_iso for ²⁹Si compared to that for anhydrous albite glass. The calculated δ_iso of ²⁷Al in such linkages agrees with the experimental data, but shows an increase in C_q that cannot be fully diminished by H-bonding to additional water molecules. This protonation model is consistent with both experimental ¹⁷O NMR data and the major peak of ¹H-NMR spectra. It cannot readily explain the existence of the small peak in the experimental ¹H spectra around 1.5 ppm. Production of the depolymerized units Al [Q³]-O-H upon the dissolution of water is not consistent with ²⁷Al, ¹H, or ¹⁷O NMR experimental results. Production of Si [Q³]-O-H is consistent with all of the experimental ¹⁷O and ¹H-NMR data; such units can produce both the major peak at 3.5 ppm and the small peak at 1.5 ppm in ¹H spectra, either with or without hydrogen bonding. This species, however, cannot produce the main features of ²⁹Si spectra.It is concluded that although neither protonation nor the production of Si [Q³]-O-H alone is consistent with the available experimental data, the combination of these two processes is consistent with available experimental NMR data.     

^29Si,^27Al Magic—Angle—Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance（MAS NMR） Studies of Kaolinite and Its Thermal Transformation Products

²⁷Al,²⁹Si MAS NMR studies of kaolinite and its thermal transformation products show that in the kaolinite-mullite reaction series there is an extensive segregation of Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ and the reaction of Al₂O₃ with SiO₂ to form mullite is the main path of mullite formation. At about 850° C, the peak intensity of A1(V) reaches its maximum and with the further rise of temperature the A1(V) signal completely disappears. At about 950°C, γ-Al₂O₃ accounts for about 71% of the material phases containing Al atoms. In the series there is no obvious presence of Al-Si spinel. The²⁷Al and²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra show that there is an obvious difference between the temperature points for Al-O₂(OH)₄ octahedral sheet collapsing and Si-O₄ tetrahedral sheet breaking down.     

The structure of sodium tetrasilicate glass from neutron diffraction, reverse Monte Carlo simulations and Raman spectroscopy

The reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method was used for modelling the three-dimensional structure of sodium tetrasilicate glass (Na₂Si₄O₉, NS4). Neutron diffraction data over a large momentum transfer range and nuclear magnetic resonance results (Q-species distribution) as well as chemical bonding considerations have been used to constrain the RMC simulations. Very good agreement with the experimental structure factor was achieved. The three-dimensional model is analysed in terms of partial pair distribution functions, bond-angle distributions, short-range order (SRO) clusters and ring statistics. The average Si–O–Si bridging angle is different for the different Qⁱ–Q^j units. The effect of different Q species on the network connectivity is analysed by comparison with statistical SRO distributions. While the Q² species are randomly distributed, a high preference for the formation of Q⁴–Q⁴ units in three-membered rings is found. This explains why during the initial stages of hydration of NS4 glass, Si–OH groups are preferentially formed by breaking Q⁴–Q⁴ linkages. The RMC model also provides an independent test for the assignment of bands in the Si–O stretching region of the Raman spectrum. It is shown that the bands at about 1050 and 1100 cm⁻¹ are probably due to Q³ units surrounded by different numbers of Q⁴ units. Received: 7 April 1997 / Revised, accepted: 5 July 1997