Electrical conductivity of Al-bearing bridgmanite

Abstract:

Electrical conductivity measurements of bridgmanite with various Al contents and constant Mg# 90 at room temperature up to 2000 K and 26-28 GPa were performed in Kawai-type multianvil apparatus using impedance spectroscopic analyses. The incorporation of Al into bridgmanite significantly raises the electrical conductivity but it is small conductivity variation with respect to the amount of Al. Synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy of recovered samples showed a significant amount of ferric iron in aluminous bridgmanite. The mobility of charge carriers in bridgmanite was calculated from the conductivity and Fe³⁺/ΣFe. A relation between the logarithm of electrical conductivity and reciprocal temperature is consistent with Fe²⁺-Fe³⁺ electron hopping (small polaron) as the dominant conduction mechanism at low temperatures (< 1400 K) and ionic conduction at high temperatures (> 1600 K). Taking various conduction mechanisms into account, we develop an electrical conductivity model for aluminous bridgmanite as a function of Al and Fe content. This conductivity model suggests that the electrical conductivity of aluminous bridgmanite has a maximum at around 0.13 Al per formula unit, and further increase of Al in bridgmanite reduces the conductivity. The conductivity increase observed in the uppermost lower mantle by electromagnetic studies can be explained by increases of Fe and Na content in combination with substitution of Al into bridgmanite with increasing pressure due to the gradual decomposition of majorite garnet.