Ab initio constraints on silica melting to 500 GPa

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Geng, Ming, Mohn, Chris E.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916095764463616
author Geng, Ming
Mohn, Chris E.
author_facet Geng, Ming
Mohn, Chris E.
contents The melting curve of pure silica (SiO$_2$) was determined using {\it ab initio} density functional theory together with the solid-liquid coexisting approach, thermodynamic integration and the Z method. The melting curves are consistent with a smooth slow increase in a large region from 50 GPa (dT/dP $\approx$ 15 K/GPa) to about 500 GPa (dT/dP $\approx$ 5 K/GPa) without any abrupt changes at around 120 GPa and 300 GPa as seen in some recent experimental and computational studies. The topography of the melting curve above 50 GPa is consistent with a gradual change in the distribution of the Si coordination numbers in the liquid state and the absence of large changes in the density following solid-solid phase transitions. The pair distribution functions show that the structural correlation in the liquid is mainly short-ranged and that the Si-O bond is stiff. The densification of the melt structure with pressure above 50 GPa is therefore due to an increase in 7- and 8-fold coordinated silicon.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2307_05444
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Ab initio constraints on silica melting to 500 GPa
Geng, Ming
Mohn, Chris E.
Materials Science
Geophysics
The melting curve of pure silica (SiO$_2$) was determined using {\it ab initio} density functional theory together with the solid-liquid coexisting approach, thermodynamic integration and the Z method. The melting curves are consistent with a smooth slow increase in a large region from 50 GPa (dT/dP $\approx$ 15 K/GPa) to about 500 GPa (dT/dP $\approx$ 5 K/GPa) without any abrupt changes at around 120 GPa and 300 GPa as seen in some recent experimental and computational studies. The topography of the melting curve above 50 GPa is consistent with a gradual change in the distribution of the Si coordination numbers in the liquid state and the absence of large changes in the density following solid-solid phase transitions. The pair distribution functions show that the structural correlation in the liquid is mainly short-ranged and that the Si-O bond is stiff. The densification of the melt structure with pressure above 50 GPa is therefore due to an increase in 7- and 8-fold coordinated silicon.
title Ab initio constraints on silica melting to 500 GPa
topic Materials Science
Geophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.05444