Long-period superstructure in sodium-lithium metasilicates
Abstract
The solid-solution series, high-(Na2 - x, Lix)SiO3, 0.86 x 1.02, has an orthorhombic subcell similar to the unit cells of Na2SiO3 and Li2SiO3 but with a one-dimensional long-period superstructure. The ratio = asupercell: asubcell varies linearly with composition and integral values occur at simple Na: Li ratios: = 6 for 1Na: 1Li (x = 1.00) and = 5 for 5Na: 4Li (x = 0.89). Possible origins of the superstructure are discussed.