SOLUBILITY AND SOLUTION MECHANISM OF H2O IN ALKALI SILICATE MELTS AND GLASSES AT HIGH PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE

Abstract

The solubility behavior of H2O in melts in the system Na2O-SiO2-H2O was determined by locating the univariant phase boundary, melt = melt + vapor in the 0.8–2 GPa and 1000°–1300°C pressure and temperature range, respectively. The NBO/Si-range of the melts (0.25–1) was chosen to cover that of most natural magmatic liquids. The H2O solubility in melts in the system Na2O-SiO2-H2O (XH2O) ranges between 18 and 45 mol% (O = 1) with (∂XH2O/∂P)T∼14–18 mol% H2O/GPa. The (∂XH2O/∂P)T is negatively correlated with NBO/Si (= Na/Si) of the melt. The (∂XH2O/∂T)P is in the −0.03 to +0.05 mol% H2O/°C range, and is negatively correlated with NBO/Si. The [∂XH2O/∂(NBO/Si)]P,T is in the −3 to −8 mol% H2O/(NBO/Si) range. Melts with NBO/Si similar to basaltic liquids (∼0.6-∼1.0) show (∂XH2O/∂T)P<0, whereas more polymerized melts exhibit (∂XH2O/∂T)P>0. Complete miscibility between hydrous melt and aqueous fluid occurs in the 0.8–2 GPa pressure range for melts with NBO/Si ≤0.5 at T >1100°C. Miscibility occurs at lower pressure the more polymerized the melt.