Thermochemistry of glasses and liquids in the systems CaMgSi2O6-CaAl2Si2O8-NaAlSi3O8, SiO2-CaAl2Si2O8-NaAlSi3O8 and SiO2-Al2O3-CaO-Na2O

Enthalpies of solution in 2PbO· B₂O₃ at 712°C have been measured for glasses in the systems albite anorthite diopside, NaAlO₂-SiO₂, Ca_0.5AlO₂-SiO₂ and albite-anorthite-quartz. The systems albite-anorthite and diopside-anorthite show substantial negative enthalpies of mixing, albite-diopside shows significant positive heats of mixing. For compositions up to NaAlO₂ = 0.42 (which includes the subsystem albite-silica) the system NaAlO₂-SiO₂ shows essentially zero heats of mixing. A negative ternary excess heat of mixing is found in the plagioclase-rich portion of the albite-anorthite-diopside system. The join Si₄O₈-CaAl₂Si₂O₈ shows small but significant heats of mixing. In albite-anorthite-quartz. ternary glasses, the ternary excess enthalpy of mixing is positive.Based on available heat capacity data and appropriate consideration of the glass transition, the enthalpy of the crystal-glass transition (vitrification) is a serious underestimate of the enthalpy of the crystal-liquid transition (fusion) especially when the melting point, T_f, is many hundreds of degrees higher than the glass transition temperature, T_g. On the other hand, the same heat capacity data suggest that the enthalpies of mixing in albite-anorthite-diopside liquids are calculated to be quite similar to those in the glasses. The enthalpies of mixing observed in general support the structural models proposed by Taylor and Brown (1979a, b) and others for the structure of aluminosilicate glasses.     

Thermochemistry of synthetic clinopyroxenes on the join CaMgSi2O6-Mg2Si2O6

Enthalpies of solution of synthetic clinopyroxenes on the join CaMgSi₂O₆-Mg₂Si₂O₆ have been measured in a melt of composition Pb₂B₂O₅ at 970 K. Most of the measurements were made on samples crystallized at 1600°–1700°C and 30 kbar pressure, which covered the range 0–78 mole per cent Mg₂Si₂O₆, and whose X-ray patterns could be satisfactorily indexed on the diopside (C2/c) structure. For the reaction: Mg₂Si₂O₆→-Mg₂Si₂O₆ enstatite diopside the present data, in conjunction with previous and new measurements on Mg₂Si₂O₆ enstatite, determine ΔH° ~ 2 kcal and W_H (regular solution parameter) ~ 7 kcal. These values are in good agreement with those deduced by Saxena and Nehru (1975) from a study of high temperature, high pressure phase equilibrium data under the assumption that the excess entropy of mixing is small, but, in light of the recent theoretical treatment of Navrotsky and Loucks (1977, Phys. Chem. Min.1, 109–127), the meanings of these parameters may be ambiguous.Heat of solution measurements on Ca-rich binary diopsides made by annealing glasses at 1358°C in air gave slighter higher values than the higher temperature high pressure samples. This may be evidence for some (Ca, Mg) disorder of the sort postulated by Navrotsky and Loucks (1977, Phys. Chem. Min.1, 109–127), although no differences in heat of solution dependent on synthesis temperature in the range 1350°–1700°C could be found in stoichiometric CaMgSi₂O₆.     

Thermochemistry of glasses along joins of pyroxene stoichiometry in the system Ca2Si2O6-Mg2Si2O6-Al4O6

Enthalpies of solution in 2PbO · B₂O₃ at 974 K have been measured for glasses along the joins Ca₂Si₂O₆ (Wo)-Mg₂Si₂O₆ (En) and Mg₂Si₂O₆-MgAl₂SiO₆ (MgTs). Heats of mixing are symmetric and negative for Wo-En with W_H = ?31.0 ± 3.6 kJ mol^?. Negative heats of mixing were also found for the En-MgTs glasses (W_H = ?33.4 ± 3.7 kJ mol^?).Enthalpies of vitrification of pyroxenes and pyroxenoids generally increase with decreasing alumina content and with decreasing basicity of the divalent cation.Heats of mixing along several glassy joins show systematic trends. When only non-tetrahedral cations mix (outside the aluminosilicate framework), small exothermic heats of mixing are seen. When both nontetrahedral and framework cations mix (on separate sublattices, presumably), the enthalpies of mixing are substantially more negative. Maximum enthalpy stabilization near compositions with Al/Si ≈ 1 is suggested.     

The bearing of the system CaMgSi2O6CaAl2SiO6CaFeAlSiO6 on fassaitic pyroxene

The system CaMgSi₂O₆CaAl₂SiO₆CaFeAlSiO₆ has been studied in air at 1 atm. The phase assemblage at subsolidus temperatures in the CaMgSi₂O₆-rich portion is Cpx + An + Mel and that in the CaMgSi₂O₆-poor portion Cpx + An + Mel + Sp. At subsolidus temperatures the sigle-phase field of clinopyroxene increases with an increase in the CaFeAlSiO₆ component of the system. The Al₂O₃ content of clinopyroxene, however, continues to increase beyond the single-phase field and attains at least 16.04 wt.% Al₂O₃ with 3.9 wt.% Fe₂O₃. The stability field of fassaite in the system over a range of pressures and oxygen fugacities has been estimated from data in the literature as well as the present data. The CaFeAlSiO₆ content of fassaite is dependent on oxygen fugacity, but is not influenced by pressure. The stability field is strongly influenced by oxygen fugacity at low and high pressure, and decreases with decreasing oxygen fugacity. Clinopyroxenes in both volcanic and metamorphic rocks from various localities, when plotted on the CaMgSi₂O₆CaAl₂SiO₆CaFeAlSiO₆ triangle, show that there is no compositional gap between diopside and fassaitic pyroxene in metamorphic rocks, and that the fassaitic pyroxene in alkalic rocks becomes richer in both CaAl₂SiO₆ and CaFeAlSiO₅ components as crystallization proceeds. These results agree with those obtained in the experimental study.     

Structure of mineral glasses—I. The feldspar glasses NaAlSi3O8, KAlSi3O8, CaAl2Si2O8

The short range distribution of interatomic distances in three feldspar glasses has been determined by X-ray radial distribution analysis. The resulting radial distribution functions (RDF's) are interpreted by comparison with RDF's calculated for various quasi-crystalline models of the glass structure.The experimental RDF's of the alkali feldspar glasses were found to be inconsistent with the four-membered rings of tetrahedra associated with crystalline feldspars; the structures of these glasses are probably based on interconnected six-membered rings of the type found in tridymite, nepheline, or kalsilite. In contrast, the RDF of calcic feldspar glass is consistent with a four-membered ring structure of the type found in crystalline anorthite. T-O bond lengths (T = Si,Al) increase from 1.60 Å in SiO₂ glass [J. H. Konnert and J. Karle (1973) Acta Cryst.A29, 702–710] to 1.63 Å in the alkali feldspar glasses to 1.66 Å in the calcic feldspar glass due to the substitution of Al for Si in the tetrahedra] sites. The T-O-T bond angles inferred from the RDF peak positions are 151° in SiO₂ glass (see reference above), 146° in the alkali feldspar glasses, and 143° in the calcic feldspar glass. Detail in the RDF at distances greater than 5 Å suggests that the alkali feldspar glasses have a higher degree of long range order than the calcic feldspar glasses.Assuming that the structural details of our feldspar glasses are similar to those of the melts, the observed structural differences between the alkali feldspar and calcic feldspar glasses helps explain the differences in crystallization kinetics of anhydrous feldspar composition melts. Structural interpretations of some thermodynamic and rheologic phenomena associated with feldspar melts are also presented based on these results.     

Thermochemical study of glasses in the system NaAlSi3O8-KAlSi3O8-Si4O8 and the join Na1.6Al1.6Si2.4O8-K1.6Al1.6Si2.4O8

Enthalpies of solution in 2PbO · B₂O₃ at 981 K have been measured for glasses in the system albite-orthoclase-silica and along the join Na_1.6Al_1.6Si_2.4O₈-K_1.6Al_1.6Si_2.4O₈. The join KAlSi₃O₈-Si₄O₈ shows zero heat of mixing similar to that found previously for NaAlSi₃O₈-Si₄O₈ glasses. Albite-orthoclase glasses show negative heats of mixing symmetric about Ab₅₀Or₅₀ (W_n = ? 2.4 ± 0.8 kcal). Negative heats of (Na, K) mixing are also found at $\text{Si}\text{(Si + Al)}\text{= 0.6.}$ Ternary excess enthalpies of mixing in the glassy system Ab-Or-4Q are positive but rarely exceed 1 kcal mol^?1.Using earlier studies of the thermodynamic properties of the crystals, the present calorimetric data and the “two-lattice” entropy model, the albite-orthoclase phase diagram is calculated in good agreement with experimental data. Attempts to calculate albite-silica and orthoclase-silica phase diagrams reveal complexities probably related to significant (but unknown) mutual solid solubility between cristobalite and alkali feldspar and to the very small heat and entropy of fusion of SiO₂.     

Determination of activities in silicate melts by Knudsen cell mass spectrometry—I. The system NaAlSi3O8-KAlSi3O8

The mixing properties of aluminosilicate melts in the pseudobinary system NaAlSi₃O₈-KAlSi ₃O₈ have been determined by measuring the compositions of their saturated vapours by hightemperature Knudsen cell mass spectrometry. The melts mix close to ideally over most of the composition range with small positive deviations from ideality for K-rich compositions. These may be related to incipient partial ordering of melt constituents into leucite-like and SiO₂-like structures above the feldspar liquidus.     

A hydrofluoric acid solution calorimetric investigation of glasses in the systems NaAlSi3O8-KAlSi3O8 and NaAlSi3O8-Si4O8

Glasses in the systems NaAlSi₃O₈-KAlSi₃O₈ and NaAlSi₃O₈-Si₄O₈ have been studied by means of hydrofluoric acid solution calorimetry at 50°C. Results indicate small negative enthalpies of mixing in the former system and small positive departures from ideality in the latter.     

A thermodynamic model for multicomponent melts,with application to the system CaO-Al2O3-SiO2

A thermodynamic model is proposed for calculation of liquidus relations in multicomponent systems of geologic interest. In this formulation of mineral-melt equilibria, reactions are written in terms of the liquid oxide components, and balanced on the stoichiometry of liquidus phases. In order to account for non-ideality in the liquid, a ‘Margules solution’ is derived in a generalized form which can be extended to systems of any number of components and for polynomials of any degree. Equations are presented for calculation of both the excess Gibbs free energy of a solution and the component activity coefficients.Application to the system CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ at one atmosphere pressure is achieved using linear programming. Thermodynamic properties of liquidus minerals and the melt are determined which are consistent with adopted error brackets for available calorimetric and phase equilibrium data. Constraints are derived from liquidus relations, the CaO-SiO₂ binary liquid immiscibility gap, solid-solid $\text{P-T}$ reactions, and measured standard state entropies, enthalpies, and volumes of minerals in this system.Binary and ternary liquidus diagrams are recalculated by computer programs which trace cotectic boundaries and isothermal sections while checking each point on a curve for metastability. The maximum differences between calculated and experimentally determined invariant points involving stoichiometric minerals are 17°C and 1.5 oxide weight per cent. Because no solid solution models have been incorporated, deviations are larger for invariant points which involve non-stoichiometric minerals.Calculated heats of fusion, silica activities in the melt, and heats of mixing of liquids compare favorably with experimental data, and suggest that this model can be used to supplement the limited amount of available data on melt properties.     

First principles molecular dynamics simulations of diopside (CaMgSi2O6) liquid to high pressure

We use first principles molecular dynamics simulations based on density functional theory in the local density approximation to investigate CaMgSi₂O₆ liquid over the entire mantle pressure regime. We find that the liquid structure becomes much more densely packed with increasing pressure, with the mean Si-O coordination number increasing nearly linearly with volume from fourfold near ambient pressure to sixfold at the base of the mantle. Fivefold Si-O coordination environments are most abundant at intermediate compression. The properties of Mg and Si coordination environments are nearly identical to those in MgSiO₃ liquid, whereas Ca is more highly coordinated with larger mean Ca-O bond length as compared with Mg. The density increases smoothly with increasing pressure over the entire range studied. The Grüneisen parameter increases by a factor of three on twofold compression. The density contrast between diopside composition liquid and the isochemical crystalline assemblage is less than 2% at the core mantle boundary, less than that in the case of MgSiO₃. Thermodynamic properties are described in terms of a liquid-state fundamental thermodynamic relation.     

Structure, thermodynamics, and diffusion in CaAl2Si2O8 liquid from first-principles molecular dynamics

We have performed first-principles molecular dynamics simulations of CaAl₂Si₂O₈ (anorthite) liquid at pressures up to 120 GPa and temperatures of 3000, 4000 and 6000 K. At the lowest degrees of compression the liquid is seen to accommodate changes in density through decreasing the abundance of 3- and 4-membered rings, while increases in coordination of network forming cations take effect at somewhat higher degrees of compression. Results are fit to a fundamental thermodynamic relation with 4th order finite strain and 1st order thermal variable expansions. Upon compression by a factor of two, the Grüneisen parameter (γ) is found to increase continuously from 0.35 to 1.10. Weak temperature dependence in γ is thermodynamically consistent with a slight decrease in isochoric heat capacity (C_V), for which values of between 4.4 and 5.2 Nk_B are obtained, depending on the temperature. Pressure and temperature dependence of self-diffusivities is found to be well represented by an Arrhenius relation, except at 3000 K and pressures lower than 5 GPa, where self-diffusivities of Si, Al, and O increase with pressure. Analysis of the lifetimes of individual coordination species reveals that this phenomenon arises due to the disproportionately high stability of 4-fold coordinated Si, and to a lesser extent 4-fold coordinated Al. Our results represent a marked improvement in accuracy and reliability in describing the physics of CaAl₂Si₂O₈ liquid at deep mantle pressures, pointing the way to a general thermodynamic model of melts at extreme pressures and temperatures relevant to planetary-scale magma oceans and deep mantle partial melting.     

A hydrothermal investigation of the system FeO, Fe2O3, TiO2

Phase relations in the system FeO---Fe₂O₃---TiO₂, at temperatures ranging between 300°C and 700°C, have been investigated experimentally with special refference to the reaction Fe₃O₄ + TiO₂ = Fe₂O₃ + FeTiO₃. Pressure was varied between 500 and 2000 bars but its effect was negligible. Magnetite and rutile are the stable assemblage at temperatures above 550 dgC, and hematite and ilmenite are stable for lower temperatures. The equilibrium oxygen fugacity is estimated to be 10^−17.5 bars at equilibrium temperature. It is suggested that intermediate hematite-ilmenite solid solutions are inhomogeneous, consisting of ‘domains’ of hematite and ilmenite. The ‘domains’ are too small to be resolved by X-ray diffraction techniques. The top of the solvus curve in the hematite-ilmenite solution corresponds to a temperature of 660°C. Regular solution theory is not applicable to the solid solution.     

Molecular dynamics studies of CaAl2Si2O8 liquid. Part II: Equation of state and a thermodynamic model

A thermodynamic model and equation of state (EOS) is developed from the molecular dynamics simulation experiments of Spera et al. (2009) for CaAl₂Si₂O₈ liquid over the temperature range 3500-6000 K and pressure interval 0-125 GPa. The model is constructed utilizing the isothermal Universal EOS of Vinet et al. (1986) combined with an expression for the temperature-dependence of the internal energy derived from density functional theory (Rosenfeld and Tarazona, 1998). It is demonstrated that this model is more successful at reproducing the data than the temperature-dependent Universal EOS (Vinet et al., 1987) or the volume-explicit EOS of Ghiorso (2004a). Distinct parameterizations are required to model low (<20 GPa) and high (>20 GPa) pressure regimes. This result is ascribed to the affect of liquid structure on macroscopic thermodynamic properties, specifically the interdependence of average cation-oxygen coordination number on the bulk modulus. The thermodynamic transition between the high- and low-pressure parameterizations is modeled as second order, although the nature of the transition is open to question and may well be first order or lambda-like in character.Analysis of the thermodynamic model reveals a predicted region of liquid-liquid un-mixing at low-temperatures (<1624 K) and pressures (<1.257 GPa). These pressure-temperature conditions are above the glass transition temperature but within the metastable liquid region. They represent the highest temperatures yet suggested for liquid-liquid un-mixing in a silicate bulk composition. A shock wave Hugoniot curve is calculated for comparison with the experimental data of Rigden et al. (1989) and of Asimow and Ahrens (2008). The comparison suggests that the model developed in this paper underestimates the density of the liquid by roughly 10% at pressures greater than ∼20 GPa.     

The role of P2O5 in silicate melts

Phase equilibria data in the systems SiO₂-P₂O₅, P₂O₅-M_xO_y, and P₂O₅-M_xO_y-SiO₂ are employed in conjunction with Chromatographic and spectral data to investigate the role of P₂O₅ in silicate melts. Such data indicate that the behavior of P₂O₅ is complex. P₂O₅ depolymerizes pure SiO₂ melts by entering the network as a four-fold coordinated cation, but polymerizes melts in which an additional metal cation other than silicon is present. The effect of this polymerization is apparent in the widening of the granite-ferrobasalt two-liquid solvus. In this complex system P₂O₅ acts to increase phase separation by further enrichment of the high charge density cations Ti, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, in the ferrobasaltic liquid. P₂O₅ also produces an increase in the ferrobasalt-granite REE liquid distribution coefficients. These distribution coefficients are close to 4 in P₂O₅-free melts, but close to 15 in P₂O₅-bearing melts.The dual behavior of P₂O₅ is explained in a model which requires complexing of phosphate anions (analogous to silicate anions) and metal cations in the melt. This interaction destroys Si-O-M-O-Si bonds polymerizing the melt. The higher concentration of Si-O-M-O-Si bond complexes in immiscible ferrobasaltic liquids relative to their conjugate immiscible granite liquids explains the partitioning of P₂O₅ into the ferrobasaltic liquid.     

The MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 system: free energy of pyrope and Al2O3-enstatite

Using the model of fictive ideal components, Gibbs free energies of formation of pyrope and Al₂O₃-enstatite have been determined from the experimental data on coexisting garnet and orthopyroxene and orthopyroxene and spinel in the temperature range of 1200–1600 K. The negative free energies in kJ/mol are:

     

18.

Some thermodynamic properties of the Berman and Brown model for CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂     

Lawrence M. Barron 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》1986,50(12):2727-2733

The and (1984) excess free energy model (B&B) is extremely convenient to use in modelling multicomponent solutions. However, spinodal calculations reveal that their calibration of this model for CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ produces liquation tielines that do not appear to be in agreement with experimental work. In addition, their calibration contains some strongly negative excess entropy parameters and these permit a most unusual inverted liquation field to start at approximately >2115°C, wt% (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO) = (70, 16, 14). This inverted field expands rapidly to cover most of the ternary for T> 2300°C and continues to expand at all higher temperatures. The Berman and Brown calibration for this system carries these negative excess entropies of mixing because the solution model is very strongly asymmetric as a result of the use of normal oxide mole weights in modelling the configurational entropy of mixing. A suggestion is made for a fairly natural restriction on the relative sizes of empirical models for excess versus configurational entropy.

Expressions are presented for the general consolute condition (all solution models) and for the second and third partials of the B&B G^x model.     

19.

Structure, thermodynamic and transport properties of CaAl₂Si₂O₈ liquid. Part I: Molecular dynamics simulations     

Frank J. Spera  Dean Nevins  Ian Cutler 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》2009,73(22):6918-2191

     

20.

An electrochemical study of Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ions in melts of composition CaMgSi₂O₆     

Krystyna W. Semkow  Ronald A. Rizzo  Larry A. Haskin  David J. Lindstrom 《Geochimica et cosmochimica acta》1982,46(10):1879-1889

Cyclic voltammetry has been done for Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, and Zn²⁺ in melts of diopside composition in the temperature range 1425 to 1575°C. Voltammetric curves for all three ions excellently match theoretical curves for uncomplicated, reversible charge transfer at the Pt electrode. This implies that the neutral metal atoms remain dissolved in the melt. The reference electrode is a form of oxygen electrode. Relative to that reference assigned a reduction potential of 0.00 volt, the values of standard reduction potential for the ions are $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.32 ± .01}\text{V}$, $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Co}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Co}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.45 ± .02}\text{V}$, and $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Zn}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Zn}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.53 ± .01}\text{V}$. The electrode reactions are rapid, with first order rate constants of the order of 10^?2 cm/sec. Diffusion coefficients were found to be 2.6 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Ni²⁺, 3.4 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Co²⁺, and 3.8 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Zn²⁺ at 1500°C. The value of $\text{E1}$ ($\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0$, diopside) is a linear function of temperature over the range studied, with values of ?0.35 V at 1425°C and ?0.29 V at 1575°C. At constant temperature the value of $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0\text{, 1525°C}$) was not observed to vary with composition over the range CaO · MgO · 2SiO₂ to CaO·MgO·3SiO₂ or from 1.67 CaO·0.33MgO·2SiO₂ to 0.5 CaO·1.5MgO·2SiO₂. The value for the diffusion coefficient for Ni²⁺ decreased by an order of magnitude at 1525°C over the compositional range CaO · MgO · 1.25SiO₂ to CaO · MgO · 3SiO₂. This is consistent with a mechanism by which Ni²⁺ ions diffuse by moving from one octahedral coordination site to another in the melt, with the same Ni²⁺ species discharging at the cathode regardless of the SiO₂ concentration in the melt.     

TK	1200	1300	1400	1500	1600
Pyrope	4869.92	4747.05	4614.26	4462.63	4311.00
Al2O3-enstatite	1257.25	1244.28	1191.93	1158.67	1125.64

Some thermodynamic properties of the Berman and Brown model for CaO-Al2O3-SiO2

The and (1984) excess free energy model (B&B) is extremely convenient to use in modelling multicomponent solutions. However, spinodal calculations reveal that their calibration of this model for CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ produces liquation tielines that do not appear to be in agreement with experimental work. In addition, their calibration contains some strongly negative excess entropy parameters and these permit a most unusual inverted liquation field to start at approximately >2115°C, wt% (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CaO) = (70, 16, 14). This inverted field expands rapidly to cover most of the ternary for T> 2300°C and continues to expand at all higher temperatures. The Berman and Brown calibration for this system carries these negative excess entropies of mixing because the solution model is very strongly asymmetric as a result of the use of normal oxide mole weights in modelling the configurational entropy of mixing. A suggestion is made for a fairly natural restriction on the relative sizes of empirical models for excess versus configurational entropy.

Expressions are presented for the general consolute condition (all solution models) and for the second and third partials of the B&B G^x model.     

An electrochemical study of Ni2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ ions in melts of composition CaMgSi2O6

Cyclic voltammetry has been done for Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, and Zn²⁺ in melts of diopside composition in the temperature range 1425 to 1575°C. Voltammetric curves for all three ions excellently match theoretical curves for uncomplicated, reversible charge transfer at the Pt electrode. This implies that the neutral metal atoms remain dissolved in the melt. The reference electrode is a form of oxygen electrode. Relative to that reference assigned a reduction potential of 0.00 volt, the values of standard reduction potential for the ions are $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.32 ± .01}\text{V}$, $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Co}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Co}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.45 ± .02}\text{V}$, and $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Zn}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Zn}{}^0\text{,}\text{diopside}\text{, 1500°C) = ?0.53 ± .01}\text{V}$. The electrode reactions are rapid, with first order rate constants of the order of 10^?2 cm/sec. Diffusion coefficients were found to be 2.6 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Ni²⁺, 3.4 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Co²⁺, and 3.8 × 10^?6 cm²/sec for Zn²⁺ at 1500°C. The value of $\text{E1}$ ($\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0$, diopside) is a linear function of temperature over the range studied, with values of ?0.35 V at 1425°C and ?0.29 V at 1575°C. At constant temperature the value of $\text{E}{}^1\text{(}\text{Ni}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Ni}{}^0\text{, 1525°C}$) was not observed to vary with composition over the range CaO · MgO · 2SiO₂ to CaO·MgO·3SiO₂ or from 1.67 CaO·0.33MgO·2SiO₂ to 0.5 CaO·1.5MgO·2SiO₂. The value for the diffusion coefficient for Ni²⁺ decreased by an order of magnitude at 1525°C over the compositional range CaO · MgO · 1.25SiO₂ to CaO · MgO · 3SiO₂. This is consistent with a mechanism by which Ni²⁺ ions diffuse by moving from one octahedral coordination site to another in the melt, with the same Ni²⁺ species discharging at the cathode regardless of the SiO₂ concentration in the melt.