Structure of H2O-saturated peralkaline aluminosilicate melt and coexisting aluminosilicate-saturated aqueous fluid determined in-situ to 800 °C and ∼800 MPa

The structure of H₂O-saturated silicate melts and of silicate-saturated aqueous solutions, as well as that of supercritical silicate-rich aqueous liquids, has been characterized in-situ while the sample was at high temperature (to 800 °C) and pressure (up to 796 MPa). Structural information was obtained with confocal microRaman and with FTIR spectroscopy. Two Al-bearing glasses compositionally along the join Na₂O•4SiO₂-Na₂O•4(NaAl)O₂-H₂O (5 and 10 mol% Al₂O₃, denoted NA5 and NA10) were used as starting materials. Fluids and melts were examined along pressure-temperature trajectories of isochores of H₂O at nominal densities (from PVT properties of pure H₂O) of 0.85 g/cm³ (NA10 experiments) and 0.86 g/cm³ (NA5 experiments) with the aluminosilicate + H₂O sample contained in an externally-heated, Ir-gasketed hydrothermal diamond anvil cell.Molecular H₂O (H₂O°) and OH groups that form bonds with cations exist in all three phases. The OH/H₂O° ratio is positively correlated with temperature and pressure (and, therefore, fugacity of H₂O, f_H2O) with (OH/H₂O°)^melt > (OH/H₂O°)^fluid at all pressures and temperatures. Structural units of Q³, Q², Q¹, and Q⁰ type occur together in fluids, in melts, and, when outside the two-phase melt + fluid boundary, in single-phase liquids. The abundance of Q⁰ and Q¹ increases and Q² and Q³ decrease with f_H2O. Therefore, the NBO/T (nonbridging oxygen per tetrahedrally coordination cations), of melt is a positive function of f_H2O. The NBO/T of silicate in coexisting aqueous fluid, although greater than in melt, is less sensitive to f_H2O.The melt structural data are used to describe relationships between activity of H₂O and melting phase relations of silicate systems at high pressure and temperature. The data were also combined with available partial molar configurational heat capacity of Qⁿ-species in melts to illustrate how these quantities can be employed to estimate relationships between heat capacity of melts and their H₂O content.     

The solution behavior of H2O in peralkaline aluminosilicate melts at high pressure with implications for properties of hydrous melts

Solubility and solution mechanisms of H₂O in depolymerized melts in the system Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ were deduced from spectroscopic data of glasses quenched from melts at 1100 °C at 0.8-2.0 GPa. Data were obtained along a join with fixed nominal NBO/T = 0.5 of the anhydrous materials [Na₂Si₄O₉-Na₂(NaAl)₄O₉] with Al/(Al+Si) = 0.00-0.25. The H₂O solubility was fitted to the expression, X_H2O=0.20+0.0020f_H2O-0.7X_Al+0.9(X_Al)², where X_H2O is the mole fraction of H₂O (calculated with O = 1), f_H2O the fugacity of H₂O, and X_Al = Al/(Al+Si). Partial molar volume of H₂O in the melts, , calculated from the H₂O-solulbility data assuming ideal mixing of melt-H₂O solutions, is 12.5 cm³/mol for Al-free melts and decreases linearly to 8.9 cm³/mol for melts with Al/(Al+Si) ∼ 0.25. However, if recent suggestion that is composition-independent is applied to constrain activity-composition relations of the hydrous melts, the activity coefficient of H₂O, , increases with Al/(Al+Si).Solution mechanisms of H₂O were obtained by combining Raman and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopic data. Degree of melt depolymerization, NBO/T, increases with H₂O content. The rate of NBO/T-change with H₂O is negatively correlated with H₂O and positively correlated with Al/(Al+Si). The main depolymerization reaction involves breakage of oxygen bridges in Q⁴-species to form Q² species. Steric hindrance appears to restrict bonding of H⁺ with nonbridging oxygen in Q³ species. The presence of Al³⁺ does not affect the water solution mechanisms significantly.     

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 and solution mechanism of H2O in alkali silicate melts and glasses at high pressure and temperature

The solubility behavior of H₂O in melts in the system Na₂O-SiO₂-H₂O was determined by locating the univariant phase boundary, melt = melt + vapor in the 0.8-2 GPa and 1000°-1300°C pressure and temperature range, respectively. The NBO/Si-range of the melts (0.25-1) was chosen to cover that of most natural magmatic liquids. The H₂O solubility in melts in the system Na₂O-SiO₂-H₂O (X_H2O) ranges between 18 and 45 mol% (O = 1) with (∂X_H2O/∂P)_T∼14-18 mol% H₂O/GPa. The (∂X_H2O/∂P)_T is negatively correlated with NBO/Si (= Na/Si) of the melt. The (∂X_H2O/∂T)_P is in the −0.03 to +0.05 mol% H₂O/°C range, and is negatively correlated with NBO/Si. The [∂X_H2O/∂(NBO/Si)]_P,T is in the −3 to −8 mol% H₂O/(NBO/Si) range. Melts with NBO/Si similar to basaltic liquids (∼0.6-∼1.0) show (∂X_H2O/∂T)_P<0, whereas more polymerized melts exhibit (∂X_H2O/∂T)_P>0. Complete miscibility between hydrous melt and aqueous fluid occurs in the 0.8-2 GPa pressure range for melts with NBO/Si ≤0.5 at T >1100°C. Miscibility occurs at lower pressure the more polymerized the melt.     

Molecular H2O in armenite, BaCa2Al6Si9O30·2H2O, and epididymite, Na2Be2Si6O15·H2O: Heat capacity, entropy and local-bonding behavior of confined H2O in microporous silicates

Armenite, ideal formula BaCa₂Al₆Si₉O₃₀·2H₂O, and its dehydrated analog BaCa₂Al₆Si₉O₃₀ and epididymite, ideal formula Na₂Be₂Si₆O₁₅·H₂O, and its dehydrated analog Na₂Be₂Si₆O₁₅ were studied by low-temperature relaxation calorimetry between 5 and 300 K to determine the heat capacity, C_p, behavior of their confined H₂O. Differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry measurements, FTIR spectroscopy, electron microprobe analysis and powder Rietveld refinements were undertaken to characterize the phases and the local environment around the H₂O molecule.The determined structural formula for armenite is Ba_0.88(0.01)Ca_1.99(0.02)Na_0.04(0.01)Al_5.89(0.03)Si_9.12(0.02)O₃₀·2H₂O and for epididymite Na_1.88(0.03)K_0.05(0.004)Na_0.01(0.004)Be_2.02(0.008)Si_6.00(0.01)O₁₅·H₂O. The infrared (IR) spectra give information on the nature of the H₂O molecules in the natural phases via their H₂O stretching and bending vibrations, which in the case of epididymite only could be assigned. The powder X-ray diffraction data show that armenite and its dehydrated analog have similar structures, whereas in the case of epididymite there are structural differences between the natural and dehydrated phases. This is also reflected in the lattice IR mode behavior, as observed for the natural phases and the H₂O-free phases. The standard entropy at 298 K for armenite is S° = 795.7 ± 6.2 J/mol K and its dehydrated analog is S° = 737.0 ± 6.2 J/mol K. For epididymite S° = 425.7 ± 4.1 J/mol K was obtained and its dehydrated analog has S° = 372.5 ± 5.0 J/mol K. The heat capacity and entropy of dehydration at 298 K are Δ = 3.4 J/mol K and ΔS^rxn = 319.1 J/mol K and Δ = −14.3 J/mol K and ΔS^rxn = 135.7 J/mol K for armenite and epididymite, respectively. The H₂O molecules in both phases appear to be ordered. They are held in place via an ion-dipole interaction between the H₂O molecule and a Ca cation in the case of armenite and a Na cation in epididymite and through hydrogen-bonding between the H₂O molecule and oxygen atoms of the respective silicate frameworks. Of the three different H₂O phases ice, liquid water and steam, the C_p behavior of confined H₂O in both armenite and epididymite is most similar to that of ice, but there are differences between the two silicates and from the C_p behavior of ice. Hydrogen-bonding behavior and its relation to the entropy of confined H₂O at 298 K is analyzed for various microporous silicates.The entropy of confined H₂O at 298 K in various silicates increases approximately linearly with increasing average wavenumber of the OH-stretching vibrations. The interpretation is that decreased hydrogen-bonding strength between a H₂O molecule and the silicate framework, as well as weak ion-dipole interactions, results in increased entropy of H₂O. This results in increased amplitudes of external H₂O vibrations, especially translations of the molecule, and they contribute strongly to the entropy of confined H₂O at T < 298 K.     

The combined effects of chlorine and fluorine on the viscosity of aluminosilicate melts

The effect of fluorine and fluorine + chlorine on melt viscosities in the system Na₂O-Fe₂O₃-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ has been investigated. Shear viscosities of melts ranging in composition from peraluminous [(Na₂O + FeO) < (Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃)] to peralkaline [(Na₂O + FeO) > (Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃)] were determined over a temperature range 560-890 °C at room pressure in a nitrogen atmosphere. Viscosities were determined using the micropenetration technique in the range of 10^8.8 to 10^12.0 Pa s. The compositions are based on addition of FeF₃ and FeCl₃ to aluminosilicate melts with a fixed amount of SiO₂ (67 mol%). Although there was a significant loss of F and Cl during glass syntheses, none occurred during the viscometry experiments. The presence of fluorine causes a decrease in the viscosity of all melts investigated. This is in agreement with the structural model that two fluorines replace one oxygen; resulting in a depolymerisation of the melt and thus a decrease in viscosity. The presence of both chlorine and fluorine results in a slight increase in the viscosity of peraluminous melts and a decrease in viscosity of peralkaline melts. The variation in viscosity produced by the addition of both fluorine and chlorine is the opposite to that observed in the same composition melts, with the addition of chlorine alone (Zimova M. and Webb S.L. (2006) The effect of chlorine on the viscosity of Na₂O-Fe₂O₃-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ melts. Am. Mineral.91, 344-352). This suggests that the structural interaction of chlorine and fluorine is not linear and the rheology of magmas containing both volatiles is more complex than previously assumed.     

Acoustic velocity measurements on Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 liquids: Evidence for a highly compressible TiO2 component related to five-coordinated Ti

Longitudinal acoustic velocities were measured at 1 bar in 10 Na₂O-TiO₂-SiO₂ (NTS) liquids for which previous density and thermal expansion data are reported in the literature. Data were collected with a frequency-sweep acoustic interferometer at centered frequencies of 4.5, 5, and 6 MHz between 1233 and 1896 K; in all cases, the sound speeds decrease with increasing temperature. Six of the liquids have a similar TiO₂ concentration (∼25 mol %), so that the effect of varying Na/Si ratio on the partial molar compressibility of the TiO₂ component can be evaluated. Theoretically based models for β_T and (∂V/∂P)_T as a function of composition and temperature are presented. As found previously for the partial molar volume of TiO₂ in sodium silicate melts, values of (13.7-18.8 × 10⁻²/GPa) vary systematically with the Na/Si and Na/(Si + Ti) ratio in the liquid. In contrast values of for the SiO₂ and Na₂O components (6.6 and 8.0 × 10⁻²/GPa, respectively, at 1573 K) are independent of composition. Na₂O is the only component that contributes to the temperature dependence of the compressibility of NTS liquids (1.13 ± 0.04 × 10⁻⁴/GPa K). The results further indicate that the TiO₂ component is twice as compressible as the Na₂O and SiO₂ components. The enhanced compressibility of TiO₂ appears to be related to the abundance of five-coordinated Ti (^[5]Ti) in these liquids, but not with a change in Ti coordination. Instead, it is proposed that the asymmetric geometry of ^[5]Ti in a square pyramidal site promotes different topological rearrangements in alkali titanosilicate liquids, which lead to the enhanced compressibility of TiO₂.     

Partitioning of Na between olivine and melt: An experimental study with application to the formation of meteoritic Na2O-rich chondrule glass and refractory forsterite grains

We report experimentally determined 1 atm olivine/melt D_Na partitioning data for low f_O2, a variety of melt compositions and a temperature range of 1325-1522 °C. We demonstrated that high-current electron microprobe analyses (EPMA, I = 500 nA, 600 s on the peak) allow quantitative determination of Na₂O in olivine down to ∼10 μg/g. The mean olivine/melt D_Na from 12 experimental runs is 0.0031 ± 0.0007 (1σ). This is the recommended value for low pressures and a wide range of natural compositions.This result is applied to the problem of the origin of alkalis in chondrules and the formation of chondritic refractory forsterite grains. The data on Semarkona (LL3.0) chondrules show that Na₂O is primordial and was present during olivine crystallization. For refractory forsterite grains from Murchison (CM2), we demonstrate that high CaO contents are not a result of equilibration with Na₂O-rich melts, but require high activities of CaO during their formation.     

CO2 solubility and speciation in intermediate (andesitic) melts: the role of H2O and composition

We determined total CO₂ solubilities in andesite melts with a range of compositions. Melts were equilibrated with excess C-O(-H) fluid at 1 GPa and 1300°C then quenched to glasses. Samples were analyzed using an electron microprobe for major elements, ion microprobe for C-O-H volatiles, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for molecular H₂O, OH⁻, molecular CO₂, and CO₃²⁻. CO₂ solubility was determined in hydrous andesite glasses and we found that H₂O content has a strong influence on C-O speciation and total CO₂ solubility. In anhydrous andesite melts with ∼60 wt.% SiO₂, total CO₂ solubility is ∼0.3 wt.% at 1300°C and 1 GPa and total CO₂ solubility increases by about 0.06 wt.% per wt.% of total H₂O. As total H₂O increases from ∼0 to ∼3.4 wt.%, molecular CO₂ decreases (from 0.07 ± 0.01 wt.% to ∼0.01 wt.%) and CO₃²⁻ increases (from 0.24 ± 0.04 wt.% to 0.57 ± 0.09 wt.%). Molecular CO₂ increases as the calculated mole fraction of CO₂ in the fluid increases, showing Henrian behavior. In contrast, CO₃²⁻ decreases as the calculated mole fraction of CO₂ in the fluid increases, indicating that CO₃²⁻ solubility is strongly dependent on the availability of reactive oxygens in the melt. These findings have implications for CO₂ degassing. If substantial H₂O is present, total CO₂ solubility is higher and CO₂ will degas at relatively shallow levels compared to a drier melt. Total CO₂ solubility was also examined in andesitic glasses with additional Ca, K, or Mg and low H₂O contents (<1 wt.%). We found that total CO₂ solubility is negatively correlated with (Si + Al) cation mole fraction and positively correlated with cations with large Gibbs free energy of decarbonation or high charge-to-radius ratios (e.g., Ca). Combining our andesite data with data from the literature, we find that molecular CO₂ is more abundant in highly polymerized melts with high ionic porosities (>∼48.3%), and low nonbridging oxygen/tetrahedral oxygen (<∼0.3). Carbonate dominates most silicate melts and is most abundant in depolymerized melts with low ionic porosities, high nonbridging oxygen/tetrahedral oxygen (>∼0.3), and abundant cations with large Gibbs free energy of decarbonation or high charge-to-radius ratio. In natural silicate melt, the oxygens in the carbonate are likely associated with tetrahedral and network-modifying cations (including Ca, H, or H-bonds) or a combinations of those cations.     

Interaction between sulphide and H2O in silicate melts

Reaction between dissolved water and sulphide was experimentally investigated in soda-lime-silicate (NCS) and sodium trisilicate (NS3) melts at temperatures from 1000 to 1200 °C and pressures of 100 or 200 MPa in internally heated gas pressure vessels. Diffusion couple experiments were conducted at water-undersaturated conditions with one half of the couple being doped with sulphide (added as FeS or Na₂S; 1500-2000 ppm S by weight) and the other with H₂O (∼3.0 wt.%). Additionally, two experiments were performed using a dry NCS glass cylinder and a free H₂O fluid. Here, the melt was water-saturated at least at the melt/fluid interface. Profiling by electron microprobe (sulphur) and infrared microscopy (H₂O) demonstrate that H₂O diffusion in the melts is faster by 1.5-2.3 orders of magnitude than sulphur diffusion and, hence, H₂O can be considered as a rapidly diffusing oxidant while sulphur is quasi immobile in these experiments.In Raman spectra a band at 2576 cm⁻¹ appears in the sulphide - H₂O transition zone which is attributed to fundamental S-H stretching vibrations. Formation of new IR absorption bands at 5025 cm⁻¹ (on expense of the combination band of molecular H₂O at 5225 cm⁻¹) and at 3400 cm⁻¹ was observed at the front of the in-diffusing water in the sulphide bearing melt. The appearance and intensity of these two IR bands is correlated with systematic changes in S K-edge XANES spectra. A pre-edge excitation at 2466.5 eV grows with increasing H₂O concentration while the sulphide peak at 2474.0 eV decreases in intensity relative to the peak at 2477.0 eV and the feature at 2472.3 eV becomes more pronounced (all energies are relative to the sulphate excitation, calibrated to 2482.5 eV). The observations by Raman, IR and XANES spectroscopy indicate a well coordinated S²⁻ - H₂O complex which was probably formed in the glasses during cooling at the glass transition. No oxidation of sulphide was observed in any of the diffusion couple experiments. On the contrary, XANES spectra from experiments conducted with a free H₂O fluid show complete transformation of sulphide to sulphate near the melt surface and coexistence of sulphate and sulphide in the center of the melt. This can be explained by a lower H₂O activity in the diffusion couple experiments or by the need of a sink for hydrogen (e.g., a fluid which can dissolve high concentration of hydrogen) to promote oxidation of sulphide by H₂O via the reaction S²⁻ + 4H₂O = SO₄²⁻ + 4H₂. Sulphite could not be detected in any of the XANES spectra implying that this species, if it exists in the melt, it is a subordinate or transient species only.     

High temperature calorimetric studies of heat of solution of NiO, CuO, La2O3, TiO2, HfO2 in sodium silicate liquids

The enthalpies of solution of La₂O₃, TiO₂, HfO₂, NiO and CuO were measured in sodium silicate melts at high temperature. When the heat of fusion was available, we derived the corresponding liquid-liquid enthalpies of mixing. These data, combined with previously published work, provide insight into the speciation reactions in sodium silicate melts. The heat of solution of La₂O₃ in these silicate solvents is strongly exothermic and varies little with La₂O₃ concentration. The variation of heat of solution with composition of the liquid reflects the ability of La(III) to perturb the transient silicate framework and compete with other cations for oxygen. The enthalpy of solution of TiO₂ is temperature-dependent and indicates that the formation of Na-O-Si species is favored over Na-O-Ti at low temperature. The speciation reactions can be interpreted in terms of recent spectroscopic studies of titanium-bearing melts which identify a dual role of Ti⁴⁺ as both a network-former end network-modifier. The heats of solution of oxides of transition elements (Ni and Cu) are endothermic, concentration-dependent and reach a maximum with concentration. These indicate a charge balanced substitution which diminishes the network modifying role of Na⁺ by addition of Ni²⁺ or Cu²⁺. The transition metal is believed to be in tetrahedral coordination, charge balanced by the sodium cation in the melts.     

Fractionation of major elements between coexisting H2O-saturated silicate melt and silicate-saturated aqueous fluids in aluminosilicate systems at 1-2 GPa

From experimental data in the systems Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O, K₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O at 1100°C, and CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O at 1200°C in the 1-2 GPa pressure range, the solution behavior of the individual oxides in coexisting H₂O-saturated silicate melts and silicate-saturated aqueous fluids appears to be incongruent. Recalculated on an anhydrous basis, in the CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O system, CaO^fluid/CaO^melt < 1, whereas in the Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O and K₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O systems, K₂O^fluid/K₂O^melt and Na₂O^fluid/Na₂O^melt both are greater than 1. The aqueous fluids are depleted in alumina relative to silicate melt.In the Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O, K₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O, and CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O systems, fluid/melt partition coefficients for the individual oxides range between ∼0.005 and 0.35 depending on oxide, bulk composition and pressure. The alkali partition coefficients are about an order of magnitude higher than that of CaO. Alumina and silica partition coefficient values in the CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O system are 10-20% of the values for the same oxides in the Na₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O and K₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂-H₂O systems.Positive correlations among individual partition coefficients and oxide concentrations in the aqueous fluids are consistent with complexing in the fluid that involves silicate polymers associated with alkalis and alkaline earths and aluminosilicate complexes where alkalis and alkaline earths may serve to charge-balance Al³⁺, which is, perhaps, in tetrahedral coordination. Alkali aluminosilicate complexes in aqueous fluid appear more stable than Ca-aluminosilicate complexes.     

Speciation of reduced C-O-H volatiles in coexisting fluids and silicate melts determined in-situ to ∼1.4 GPa and 800 °C

The structure of silicate melts in the system Na₂O·4SiO₂ saturated with reduced C-O-H volatile components and of coexisting silicate-saturated C-O-H solutions has been determined in a hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC) by using confocal microRaman and FTIR spectroscopy as structural probes. The experiments were conducted in-situ with the melt and fluid at high temperature (up to 800 °C) and pressure (up to 1435 MPa). Redox conditions in the HDAC were controlled with the reaction, Mo + H₂O = MoO₂ + H₂, which is slightly more reducing than the Fe + H₂O = FeO + H₂ buffer at 800 °C and less.The dominant species in the fluid are CH₄ + H₂O together with minor amounts of molecular H₂ and an undersaturated hydrocarbon species. In coexisting melt, CH₃ - groups linked to the silicate melt structure via Si-O-CH₃ bonding may dominate and possibly coexists with molecular CH₄. The abundance ratio of CH₃ - groups in melts relative to CH₄ in fluids increases from 0.01 to 0.07 between 500 and 800 °C. Carbon-bearing species in melts were not detected at temperatures and pressures below 400 °C and 730 MPa, respectively. A schematic solution mechanism is, Si-O-Si + CH₄?Si-O-CH₃+H-O-Si. This mechanism causes depolymerization of silicate melts. Solution of reduced (C-O-H) components will, therefore, affect melt properties in a manner resembling dissolved H₂O.     

Solubility of grossular, Ca3Al2Si3O12, in H2O-NaCl solutions at 800 °C and 10 kbar, and the stability of garnet in the system CaSiO3-Al2O3-H2O-NaCl

The solubility and stability of synthetic grossular were determined at 800 °C and 10 kbar in NaCl-H₂O solutions over a large range of salinity. The measurements were made by evaluating the weight losses of grossular, corundum, and wollastonite crystals equilibrated with fluid for up to one week in Pt capsules and a piston-cylinder apparatus. Grossular dissolves congruently over the entire salinity range and displays a large solubility increase of 0.0053 to 0.132 molal Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂ with increasing NaCl mole fraction (X_NaCl) from 0 to 0.4. There is thus a solubility enhancement 25 times the pure H₂O value over the investigated range, indicating strong solute interaction with NaCl. The Ca₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂ mole fraction versus NaCl mole fraction curve has a broad plateau between X_NaCl = 0.2 and 0.4, indicating that the solute products are hydrous; the enhancement effect of NaCl interaction is eventually overtaken by the destabilizing effect of lowering H₂O activity. In this respect, the solubility behavior of grossular in NaCl solutions is similar to that of corundum and wollastonite. There is a substantial field of stability of grossular at 800 °C and 10 kbar in the system CaSiO₃-Al₂O₃-H₂O-NaCl. At high Al₂O₃/CaSiO₃ bulk compositions the grossular + fluid field is limited by the appearance of corundum. Zoisite appears metastably with corundum in initially pure H₂O, but disappears once grossular is nucleated. At X_NaCl = 0.3, however, zoisite is stable with corundum and fluid; this is the only departure from the quaternary system encountered in this study. Corundum solubility is very high in solutions containing both NaCl and CaSiO₃: Al₂O₃ molality increases from 0.0013 in initially pure H₂O to near 0.15 at X_NaCl = 0.4 in CaSiO₃-saturated solutions, a >100-fold enhancement. In contrast, addition of Al₂O₃ to wollastonite-saturated NaCl solutions increases CaSiO₃ molality by only 12%. This suggests that at high pH (quench pH is 11-12), the stability of solute Ca chloride and Na-Al ± Si complexes account for high Al₂O₃ solubility, and that Ca-Al ± Si complexes are minor. The high solubility and basic dissolution reaction of grossular suggest that Al may be a very mobile component in calcareous rocks in the deep crust and upper mantle when migrating saline solutions are present.     

Carbon dioxide and argon diffusion in silicate melts: Insights into the CO2 speciation in magmas

To investigate the influence of temperature and composition on the diffusivities of dissolved carbon dioxide and argon in silicate melts, diffusion experiments were performed at magmatic pressure and temperature conditions in (a) albite melts with excess Na₂O (0-8.6 wt%) and a constant Si/Al ratio of 3, and (b) albite₇₀quartz₃₀ to jadeite melts with decreasing SiO₂ content and a constant Na/Al ratio of 1. We obtained diffusion coefficients at 500 MPa and 1323-1673 K. In the fully polymerized system Ab₇₀Qz₃₀ - Jd, the change in composition only has a weak effect on bulk CO₂ diffusivity, but Ar diffusivity increases clearly with decreasing SiO₂ content. In the system Ab + Na₂O, bulk CO₂ and Ar diffusivity increase significantly with gradual depolymerisation. The relatively small change in composition on molar basis in the depolymerized system leads to a significantly larger change in diffusivities compared to the fully polymerized Ab₇₀Qz₃₀-Jd join. Within error, activation energies for bulk CO₂ and Ar diffusion in both systems are identical with decreasing silica content (Ab + Na₂O: 159 ± 25 kJ mol⁻¹ for bulk CO₂ and 130 ± 8 kJ mol⁻¹ for Ar; Ab₇₀Qz₃₀-Jd: 163 ± 16 kJ mol⁻¹ for bulk CO₂ and 148 ± 15 kJ mol⁻¹ for Ar) even though this results in depolymerisation in one system and not the other.Although there is a variation in CO₂ speciation with changing composition as observed in quenched glasses, it has previously established that this is not a true representation of the species present in the melt, with the ratio of molecular CO₂ to carbonate decreasing during quenching. Thus, diffusion coefficients for the individual CO₂ species cannot be directly derived by measuring molecular CO₂ and CO₃^2- concentration-distance profiles in the glasses. To obtain diffusivities of individual CO₂ species, we have made two assumptions that (1) inert Ar can be used as a proxy for molecular CO₂ diffusion characteristics as shown by our previous work and (2) the diffusivity of CO₃²⁻ can be calculated assuming it is identical to network forming components (Si⁴⁺ and Al³⁺). This is derived from viscosity data (Eyring eqn.) and suggests that CO₃²⁻ diffusion would be several orders of magnitude slower than molecular CO₂ diffusion.The systematics of measured bulk CO₂ diffusivity rates and comparison with the Ar proxy all suggest that the faster molecular CO₂ species is much more dominant in melts than measurements on resulting quenched glasses would suggest. This study has confirmed an observation of surprisingly consistent bulk CO₂ diffusivity across a range of natural compositions were Ar diffusivity significantly increases. This is consistent with an actual increase in molecular CO₂ mobility (similar to Ar) that is combined with an increase in the proportion of the slower carbonate in the melt.These results demonstrate that the CO₂ diffusion and speciation model provides an insight into the transport processes in the melt and is promising and an alternative tool to in situ speciation measurements at magmatic conditions, which at the moment are technically extremely difficult. We present the first high pressure high temperature in situ MIR spectra of a CO₂ bearing albitic glass/melt suggesting that molecular CO₂ is a stable species at high temperature, which is qualitatively consistent with the modelled CO₂ speciation data.     

Solubility of palladium in picritic melts: 1. The effect of iron

In order to improve our understanding of HSE geochemistry, we evaluate the effect of Fe on the solubility of Pd in silicate melts. To date, experimentally determined Pd solubilities in silicate melt are only available for Fe-free anorthite-diopside eutectic compositions. Here we report experiments to study the solubility of Pd in a natural picritic melt as a function of pO₂ at 1300 °C in a one atm furnace. Palladium concentrations in the run products were determined by laser-ablation-ICP-MS. Palladium increases from 1.07 ± 0.26 ppm at FMQ-2, to 306 ± 19 ppm at FMQ+6.6. At a relative pO₂ of FMQ the slope in log Pd concentration vs. log pO₂ space increases considerably, and Pd concentrations are elevated over those established for AnDi melt compositions. In the same pO₂ range, ferric iron significantly increases relative to ferrous iron. Furthermore, at constant pO₂ (FMQ+0.5) Pd concentrations significantly increase with increasing X_FeO-total in the melt. Therefore, we consider ferric Fe to promote the formation of Pd²⁺ enhancing the solubility of Pd in the picrite melt significantly.The presence of FeO in the silicate melt has proven to be an important melt compositional parameter, and should be included and systematically investigated in future experimental studies, since most natural compositions have substantial FeO contents.     

Effects of the degree of polymerization on the structure of sodium silicate and aluminosilicate glasses and melts: An O NMR study

Revealing the atomic structure and disorder in oxide glasses, including sodium silicates and aluminosilicates, with varying degrees of polymerization, is a challenging problem in high-temperature geochemistry as well as glass science. Here, we report ¹⁷O MAS and 3QMAS NMR spectra for binary sodium silicate and ternary sodium aluminosilicate glasses with varying degrees of polymerization (Na₂O/SiO₂ ratio and Na₂O/Al₂O₃ ratio), revealing in detail the extent of disorder (network connectivity and topological disorder) and variations of NMR parameters with the glass composition. In binary sodium silicate glasses [Na₂O-k(SiO₂)], the fraction of non-bridging oxygens (NBOs, Na-O-Si) increases with the Na₂O/SiO₂ ratio (k), as predicted from the composition. The ¹⁷O isotropic chemical shifts (¹⁷O δ_iso) for both bridging oxygen (BO) and NBO increase by about 10-15 ppm with the SiO₂ content (for k = 1-3). The quadrupolar coupling products of BOs and NBOs also increase with the SiO₂ content. These trends suggest that both NBOs and BOs strongly interact with Na; therefore, the Na distributions around BOs and NBOs are likely to be relatively homogenous for the glass compositions studied here, placing some qualitative limits on the extent of segregation of alkali channels from silica-enriched regions as suggested by modified random-network models. The peak width (in the isotropic dimension) and thus bond angle and length distributions of Si-O-Si and Na-O-Si increase with the SiO₂ content, indicating an increase in the topological disorder with the degree of polymerization. In the ternary aluminosilicate glasses [Na₂O]_x[Al₂O₃]_1−xSiO₂, the NBO fraction decreases while the Al-O-Si and Al-O-Al fractions apparently increase with increasing Al₂O₃ content. The variation of oxygen cluster populations suggests that deviation from “Al avoidance” is more apparent near the charge-balanced join (Na/Al = 1). The Si-O-Si fraction, which is closely related to the activity coefficient of silica, would decrease with increasing Al₂O₃ content at a constant mole fraction of SiO₂. Therefore, the activity of silica may decrease from depolymerized binary silicates to fully polymerized sodium aluminosilicate glasses at a constant mole fraction of SiO₂.     

Solution behavior of reduced COH volatiles in silicate melts at high pressure and temperature

The solubility and solution mechanisms of reduced COH volatiles in Na₂OSiO₂ melts in equilibrium with a (H₂ + CH₄) fluid at the hydrogen fugacity defined by the iron-wüstite + H₂O buffer [f_H2(IW)] have been determined as a function of pressure (1-2.5 GPa) and silicate melt polymerization (NBO/Si: nonbridging oxygen per silicon) at 1400 °C. The solubility, calculated as CH₄, increases from ∼0.2 wt% to ∼0.5 wt% in the melt NBO/Si-range ∼0.4 to ∼1.0. The solubility is not significantly pressure-dependent, probably because f_H2(IW) in the 1-2.5 GPa range does not vary greatly with pressure. Carbon isotope fractionation between methane-saturated melts and (H₂ + CH₄) fluid varied by ∼14‰ in the NBO/Si-range of these melts.The (C..H) and (O..H) speciation in the quenched melts was determined with Raman and ¹H MAS NMR spectroscopy. The dominant (C..H)-bearing complexes are molecular methane, CH₄, and a complex or functional group that includes entities with CCH bonding. Minor abundance of complexes that include SiOCH₃ bonding is tentatively identified in some melts. There is no spectroscopic evidence for SiC or SiCH₃. Raman spectra indicate silicate melt depolymerization (increasing NBO/Si). The [CH₄/CCH]^melt abundance ratio is positively correlated with NBO/Si, which is interpreted to suggest that the (CCH)-containing structural entity is bonded to the silicate melt network structure via its nonbridging oxygen. The ∼14‰ carbon isotope fractionation change between fluid and melt is because of the speciation changes of carbon in the melt.     

Solubility and solution mechanisms of C-O-H volatiles in silicate melt with variable redox conditions and melt composition at upper mantle temperatures and pressures

Solubility and solution mechanisms in silicate melts of oxidized and reduced C-bearing species in the C-O-H system have been determined experimentally at 1.5 GPa and 1400 °C with mass spectrometric, NMR, and Raman spectroscopic methods. The hydrogen fugacity, f_H2, was controlled in the range between that of the iron-wüstite-H₂O (IW) and the magnetite-hematite-H₂O (MH) buffers. The melt polymerization varied between those typical of tholeiitic and andesitic melts.The solubility of oxidized (on the order of 1-2 wt% as C) and reduced carbon (on the order of 0.15-0.35 wt% as C) is positively correlated with the NBO/Si (nonbridging oxygen per silicon) of the melt. At given NBO/Si-value, the solubility of oxidized carbon is 2-4 times greater than under reducing conditions. Oxidized carbon dioxide is dissolved as complexes, whereas the dominant reduced species in melts are CH₃-groups forming bonds with Si⁴⁺ together with molecular CH₄. Formation of complexes results in silicate melt polymerization (decreasing NBO/Si), whereas solution of reduced carbon results in depolymerization of melts (increasing NBO/Si).Redox melting in the Earth’s interior has been explained with the aid of the different solution mechanisms of oxidized and reduced carbon in silicate melts. Further, effects of oxidized and reduced carbon on melt viscosity and on element partitioning between melts and minerals have been evaluated from relationships between melt polymerization and dissolved carbon combined with existing experimental data that link melt properties and melt polymerization. With total carbon contents in the melts on the order of several mol%, mineral/melt element partition coefficients and melt viscosity can change by several tens to several hundred percent with variable redox conditions in the range of the Earth’s deep crust and upper mantle.