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Ionic conductivity in gem-quality single-crystal alkali feldspar from the Eifel: temperature, orientation and composition dependence

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Abstract

We measured the ion conductivity of single-crystal alkali feldspar originating from two different locations in the Eifel/Germany, named Volkesfeld and Rockeskyller sanidine and having potassium site fractions \(C_\mathrm{K}\) of 0.83 and 0.71, respectively. The dc conductivities resulting from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy over the temperature range of 300–900 \(^{\circ }\hbox {C}\) show a weak composition dependence but pronounced differences between the b-direction [\(\perp (010)\)] and \(c^{*}\)-direction [\(\perp (001)\)] of the monoclinic feldspar structure. Conductivity activation energies obtained from the observed linear Arrhenius plots are close to 1.2 eV in all cases, which is closely similar to the activation energies of the \(^{22}\mathrm{Na}\) tracer diffusivity in the same crystals. Taking into account literature data on K tracer diffusion and diffusion correlation effects, the present results point to a predominance of the interstitialcy mechanism over the vacancy mechanism in mass and charge transport on the alkali sublattice in potassium-rich alkali feldspar.

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Notes

  1. After submission of the manuscript, the mass density of RK feldspar has been determined as \(2.56\, \hbox {g cm}^{-3}\). The difference with the density of VF feldspar is \(<\)1 %.

  2. The dc conductivity is simply denoted as \(\sigma _{}\) (which has to be distinguished from the frequency-dependent complex conductivity). We refrained from using ‘dc’ as index to \(\sigma ^{\prime }\) in order to avoid bulky variables and double indices.

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Acknowledgments

Gerald Giester is gratefully acknowledged for orienting single-crystal fragments on an X-ray goniometer, and Andreas Wanger is thanked for preparation of perfectly suited samples. The authors thank Michael Hackmann for taking preliminary measurements on single-crystal alkali feldspar and Frank Berkemeier for providing platinum deposition by magnetron sputtering. We are indebted to Anne Schäffer, Conny Cramers and Arno Knieschewski for helpful discussions. Financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Materialphysik, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 10, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Hamid El Maanaoui, Fabian Wilangowski & Nicolaas A. Stolwijk

  2. Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, University of Münster, Corrensstrasse 28/30, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Aditya Maheshwari & Hans-Dieter Wiemhöfer

  3. Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Rainer Abart

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  1. Hamid El Maanaoui
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  2. Fabian Wilangowski
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  3. Aditya Maheshwari
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  4. Hans-Dieter Wiemhöfer
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  5. Rainer Abart
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  6. Nicolaas A. Stolwijk
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Correspondence to Nicolaas A. Stolwijk.

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El Maanaoui, H., Wilangowski, F., Maheshwari, A. et al. Ionic conductivity in gem-quality single-crystal alkali feldspar from the Eifel: temperature, orientation and composition dependence. Phys Chem Minerals 43, 327–340 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-015-0797-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00269-015-0797-y

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