Oxide perovskites: pressure derivatives of the bulk and shear moduli

The pressure derivatives of elastic moduli (∂M/∂P; M=K_S and G) for a suite of polycrystalline oxide perovskites (2 titanates, 1 stannate and 2 aluminates) have been measured up to 3 GPa using the ultrasonic interferometry method combined with a buffer rod technique. Two empirical systematic relationships (∂G/∂P vs K_S/G and ∂K_S/∂P vs K_S (/ρ)^1/3) have been used to investigate the elasticity systematics of this suite of perovskites and to estimate ∂M/∂P of MgSiO₃ perovskite. The pressure derivatives ∂G/∂P and ∂K_S/∂P for this suite of perovskites scatter between well-defined linear trends for the rutile, rocksalt and spinel structures. The more diffuse trends observed for the perovskites might reflect greater flexibility in the response of its corner-connected octahedral framework structure to changing pressure. The pressure derivatives of the elastic moduli for MgSiO₃ perovskite estimated by the “perovskite bands” are ∂G/∂P=1.6–2.2 and ∂K_S/∂P=3.9–4.2. Received: 13 November 1997 / Revised, accepted: 31 August 1998