Synthesis and crystal structure of C2/c Ca(Co, Mg)Si2O6 pyroxenes: Effect of the cationic substitution on the cell volume

A series of clinopyroxenes along the CaMgSi2O6-CaCoSi2O6 join was synthesized by quenching from melt at 1500°C and subsequent annealing at 1250°C (at 0.0001 GPa). This protocol proved to be the most effective to obtain homogenous, impurity free and stoichiometric pyroxenes as run products. Electron microprobe analyses in energy-dispersive mode were conducted and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data were collected on the Ca(CoxMg1-x)Si2O6 pyroxenes, with x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6; anisotropic structure refinements were performed. The effects of the cation substitution at the M1 site are described at the atomic level. The experimental findings of this study allowed us to extend the comparative analysis of the structural features of pyroxenes with divalent cations at the M1 and M2 sites.