Proton conduction in hydrous glasses of the join CaAl2Si2O8-CaMgSi2O6: an impedance and infrared spectroscopic study

Hydrous silicate glasses with compositions along the join diopside-anorthite (An, CaAl(2)Si(2)O(8))-(Di, CaMgSi(2)O(6)) containing up to 3 wt. % H(2)O were synthesized at temperatures 1523-1723 K and pressures of 200 MPa in an internally heated gas pressure vessel. The water content of the glasses was analyzed by Karl-Fischer titration. Infrared microspectroscopy was used to test the homogeneity of the water distribution and to measure the concentrations of OH groups and H(2)O molecules before and after conductivity measurements. The electrical conductivity was measured by impedance spectroscopy at temperature up to 685 K. A positive correlation between water content and conductivity was observed for An(100) from 0 to 1.8 wt.% H(2)O, for An(50)Di(50) (in mol.%) from 1.5 to 2.8 wt.% H(2)O, and for Di(100) from 0 to 1.2 wt.% H(2)O. At same water content of ～1.2 wt.%, the conductivity was three orders of magnitude higher in Di(100) than in the other two glasses, emphasizing the importance of non-bridging oxygens on the transport of hydrous charge carriers. Consistent with findings in literature, we conclude that protons are the predominant mobile charge carriers in alkali-free hydrous silicate glasses. Conductivity data were evaluated in terms of proton diffusivity by the Nernst-Einstein equation. The obtained diffusion coefficients range from 10(-17) m(2)/s for An(50)Di(50) with 1.50 wt.% of H(2)O at 596 K to 10(-12) m(2)/s for An(50)Di(50) with 2.77 wt.% of H(2)O at 685 K.