Behavior of phengite at high temperature and high pressure: In situ IR
and Raman spectroscopic studies
Abstract
Water release in subduction zones is not only an important part of the
deep Earth’s water cycle, but also plays an essential role in the
physical and chemical properties of rocks constituting the deep Earth.
To understand water release processes, it is important to know
properties of dehydration in hydrous phases of the downgoing slab.
Although it is widely accepted that phengite can be stable to greater
depth in subduction environment, behavior of hydroxyl and lattice of it
at high temperature and high pressure are less investigated in contrast
to other hydrous phases. Here, using IR and Raman spectroscopy, we
characterize hydroxyl and lattice of ammonium-bearing and ammonium-free
phengite at high temperature and high pressure. No proton transferring
and structural phase transition in phengite were observed over the
measured temperature and pressure range. Both pressure and temperature
induce hydroxyl band shifting to lower frequencies, and pressure has a
greater impact. The band width of hydroxyl increases with temperature
and pressure. Hydroxyl bond weakening and hydrogen disordering at high
temperature and high pressure should be responsible for the spectra
variations. On the other hand, the lattice modes soften with increasing
temperature whereas stiffen under compression, and ammonium plays an
important role in the Grüneisen parameters of the lattice modes,
especially the K-O mode. These features of hydroxyl and lattice at high
temperature and high pressure could benefit for further understanding
dehydration, thermodynamic properties and stability of phengite in
subduction zones.