Effect of pressure on the thermal expansion of MgO up to 8.2 GPa

Isobaric volume measurements for MgO were carried out at 2.6, 5.4, and 8.2 GPa in the temperature range 300–1073 K using a DIA-type, large-volume apparatus in conjunction with synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. Linear fit of the thermal expansion data over the experimental pressure range yields the pressure derivative, (∂α/∂P) _T , of −1.04(8) × 10⁻⁶ GPa⁻¹ K⁻¹ and the mean zero-pressure thermal expansion α_{0, T}  = 4.09(6) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹. The α_{0, T} value is in good agreement with results of Suzuki (1975) and Utsumi et al. (1998) over the same temperature range, whereas (∂α/∂P) _T is determined for the first time on MgO by direct measurements. The cross-derivative (∂α²/∂P∂T) cannot be resolved because of large uncertainties associated with the temperature derivative of α at all pressures. The temperature derivative of the bulk modulus, (∂K _T/∂T) _P , of −0.025(3) GPa K⁻¹, obtained from the measured (∂α/∂P) _T value, is in accord with previous findings. Received: 2 April 1999 / Revised, accepted: 22 June 1999