Compressibility of 2M1 muscovite-phlogopite series minerals

J Mol Model. 2019 Nov 12;25(11):341. doi: 10.1007/s00894-019-4218-x.

Abstract

Muscovite (Ms) and phlogopite (Phl) belong to the 2:1 dioctahedral and trioctahedral layer silicates, respectively, and are the end members of Ms-Phl series minerals. This series was studied in the 2M1 polytype and modeled by the substitution of three Mg2+ cations in the Phl octahedral sites by two Al3+ and one vacancy, increasing the substitution up to reach the Ms. The series was computationally examined at DFT level as a function of pressure to 9 GPa. Cell parameters as a function of pressure and composition, and bulk moduli as a function of the composition agrees with the existing experimental results. The mixing Gibbs free energy was calculated as a function of composition. From these data, approximated solvi were calculated at increasing pressure. A gap of solubility is found, decreasing the gap of solubility at high pressure.

Keywords: DFT calculations; Gap of solubility; Incompressibility moduli; Mixing free energy; Muscovite-phlogopite series minerals; Solvus.