Inversions in sub-potassic nephelines

Sub-potassic nephelines in the system NaAlSiO₄(Ne)-KAlSiO₄(Ks) were synthesized under a variety of conditions and studied at room temperature and up to 1000 °C using an X-ray powder diffractometer. At low temperatures they do not have the hexagonal structure determined by Hahn and Buerger (1955) for natural nepheline. Samples with 0.7 to 2.5 mole % Ks have an orthorhombic supercell with parameters equivalent to a, 3a, 3c where a and c are Hahn and Buerger structure cell parameters. Nephelines with 0 to 0.7% Ks consist of two phases with different c axes; one of these phases has the orthorhombic supercell.Pure-Na nephelines (NaAlSiO₄) invert to a hexagonal phase with the Hahn and Buerger structure at 190 °±10 °C; this inversion temperature decreases with increasing Ks and a sample with 0.5% Ks inverts at 170 °±5 °C. The inversion is reversible and is displacive. Another reversible inversion begins at 875 °±10 °C in pure-Na nepheline; this inversion increases in temperature with increasing Ks and a sample with 1.8% Ks begins to invert at 960 °±10 °C.Superstructures with anomalous low-temperature cell parameters in sub-potassic nephelines are attributed to reversible collapse of the framework about the larger cation sites which must be occupied by small Na in subpotassic nephelines. Superstructures in natural nephelines are also related to framework collapse at a displacive inversion.