The crystallization of alkaline-earth metal metasilicates from metal chloride melts

The crystallization of alkaline-earth metal metalsilicates was studied by slow cooling of saturated solutions in the metal chloride melts at T0 = 8300 to 1300 0C, down to ambient temperature; cooling rates were varied from 200 to 200 0C hr-1. Calcium metasilicate crystallized as β-CaSiO3 prisms, strontium metasilicate as α-SrSiO3 platelets and barium metasilicate as α-BaSiO3 platelets. Final crystal lengths increased with reduction in cooling rate and with increase in initial crystallization temperature. (author)