First-principles prediction of fast migration channels of potassium ions in KAlSi3O8 hollandite: Implications for high conductivity anomalies in subduction zones

Materials sharing the hollandite structure were widely reported as fast ionic conductors. However, the ionic conductivity of KAlSi3O8 hollandite (K-hollandite), which can be formed during the subduction process, has not been investigated so far. Here first-principles calculations are used to investigate the potassium ion (K+) transport properties in K-hollandite. The calculated K+ migration barrier energy is 0.44 eV at a pressure of 10 GPa, an energy quite small to block the K+ migration in K-hollandite channels. The calculated ionic conductivity of K-hollandite is highly anisotropic and depends on its concentration of K+ vacancies. About 6% K+ vacancies in K-hollandite can lead to a higher conductivity compared to the conductivity of hydrated wadsleyite and ringwoodite in the mantle. K+ vacancies being commonly found in many K-hollandite samples with maximum vacancies over 30%, the formation of K-hollandite during subduction of continental or alkali-rich oceanic crust can contribute to the high conductivity anomalies observed in subduction zones.