LATTICE PARAMETERS OF MELILITE SOLID SOLUTIONS AND A RECONNAISSANCE OF PHASE RELATIONS IN THE SYSTEM Ca2Al2SiO7 (GEHLENITE) – Ca2MgSi2O7 (AKERMANITE) – NaCaAlSi2O7 (SODA MELILITE) AT 1 000 kg/cm2 WATER VAPOR PRESSURE

Abstract

The extent of melilite solid solutions has been determined for the systems gehlenite–soda melilite, akermanite–soda melilite, and gehlenite–akermanite–soda melilite at 800 °C and 1 000 kg/cm2[Formula: see text] Approximately 50 weight % NaCaAlSi2O7 will form melilite solid solutions with both gehlenite and akermanite but the extent of complete solid solutions in the gehlenite–akermanite–soda melilite system is very limited at this temperature. Lattice parameter determinations of melilite solid solutions indicate that there is a small but significant change in both a and c parameters with increasing soda melilite in the gehlenite–soda melilite system. In the gehlenite–akermanite–soda melilite system, although the range of complete solid solution is very limited, melilites form more than 90% of the products in most compositions and their lattice parameters can be correlated approximately with their bulk compositions, A rapid X-ray method has been developed to determine the approximate compositions of melilites in this system. Comparison is made between the synthetic samples and natural melilites.A reconnaissance of subsolidus phase relations indicates that phase relations are very complex and that only over a very small compositional range can these systems be considered binary or ternary. These studies also indicate that the relations reported by Nurse and Midgley in 1953 should probably be modified. Although the composition NaCaAlSi2O7 does not synthesize only a melilite under the conditions used in this study, it is believed that this is the correct composition of the sodium-bearing end-member.