Atomistic insight into viscosity and density of silicate melts under pressure

Yanbin Wang (), Tatsuya Sakamaki, Lawrie B. Skinner, Zhicheng Jing, Tony Yu, Yoshio Kono, Changyong Park, Guoyin Shen, Mark L. Rivers and Stephen R. Sutton
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Yanbin Wang: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago
Tatsuya Sakamaki: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago
Lawrie B. Skinner: Mineral Physics Institute, Stony Brook University
Zhicheng Jing: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago
Tony Yu: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago
Yoshio Kono: HPCAT, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington
Changyong Park: HPCAT, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington
Guoyin Shen: HPCAT, Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington
Mark L. Rivers: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago
Stephen R. Sutton: Center for Advanced Radiation Sources, The University of Chicago

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract A defining characteristic of silicate melts is the degree of polymerization (tetrahedral connectivity), which dictates viscosity and affects compressibility. While viscosity of depolymerized silicate melts increases with pressure consistent with the free-volume theory, isothermal viscosity of polymerized melts decreases with pressure up to ~3–5 GPa, above which it turns over to normal (positive) pressure dependence. Here we show that the viscosity turnover in polymerized liquids corresponds to the tetrahedral packing limit, below which the structure is compressed through tightening of the inter-tetrahedral bond angle, resulting in high compressibility, continual breakup of tetrahedral connectivity and viscosity decrease with increasing pressure. Above the turnover pressure, silicon and aluminium coordination increases to allow further packing, with increasing viscosity and density. These structural responses prescribe the distribution of melt viscosity and density with depth and play an important role in magma transport in terrestrial planetary interiors.

Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms4241

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4241

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