Elastic properties of geophysical minerals at different temperatures

Abstract

The elastic properties of minerals are very important to decide its technological applications upto the desired limit of accuracy. For some specific applications sometimes its mechanical properties such as ductility and brittleness plays significant role. The ratio K/G decides the brittleness and ductile behavior of material. In the present work we have taken Pyrope rich garnet (Mg3Al2Si3O12) and Grossular garnet (Ca3Al2Si3O12) to study their ductility and brittleness at different temperature ranges by using Hill’s averaging method and other methods of thermodynamics. From the obtained results it is clear that in case of Pyrope-rich garnet, when the temperature increases the fracture decreases slowly in comparison to toughness, as a result the K/G ratio increases while in case of Grossular-garnet the toughness decreases slowly in comparison to fracture with increase in temperature, as a result the K/G ratio increases. Thus the fracture / toughness ratio increases with the temperature for Grossular-garnet while for Pyrope – rich garnet this ratio decreases. On the basis of these results it is clear that the nature of Pyrope-rich garnets is ductile whereas Grossular-garnet is brittle in nature. The interpretation of these properties can be interpreted on the basis of its composition, crystal structure dependence on temperature and the level of defect.