High-temperature study and thermal expansion of phlogopite

 Unit-cell dimensions of a natural phlogopite from Pargas, Finland, have been determined in the temperature interval of 27–1050 °C by X-ray powder diffraction technique. Expansion rates vary discontinuously with temperature with a break at 412 °C. Below this temperature, the linear expansions (α) for a, b and c axis lengths are 3.74 × 10−5 K−1, 1.09 × 10−5 K−1, and 1.19 × 10−5 K−1, respectively, and above that they are 0.86 × 10−5 K−1, 0.80 × 10−5 K−1, and 1.93 × 10−5 K−1. The volume thermal expansion coefficients are 6.26 × 10−5 K−1 and 3.71 × 10−5 K−1 for low-temperature and high-temperature intervals, respectively. The observed kink in the rate of thermal expansions with temperature could be due to the different mode of structural changes. Thermogravimetric analysis of the sample indicates the oxidation of iron in the temperature range of 500–600 °C and dehydroxylation as well as decomposition of phlogopite in the temperature range of 900–1200 °C.