Structure and Dynamics of Minerals, Glasses, Melts and
Glass-Forming
Liquids/Solid State NMR
The focus of our research is on fundamental issues of structure and dynamics in crystalline, glassy, and liquid silicates and oxides, and on glass-forming liquids in general. Our goal is to relate experimental measurements of atomic-scale processes
to macroscopic properties of interest to the earth sciences (including mineralogy, igneous and metamorphic petrology, volcanology and geochemistry), materials sciences, and physical chemistry. Much of what we do lies at the interface between geochemistry
and materials science: our research is funded by both types of programs at NSF, and members of the group have affiliations in both the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences (G&ES) a
nd the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E).
The major research tool in our group at this time is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy. We have a fully-equipped lab for most sorts of modern solid-state high and low resolution NMR experiments. An unusual fe
ature of the lab is our capability to do in-situ, high T studies up to
about 1500 deg C. We are also working on a high T, high P system to
allow
in-situ NMR studies of volatile-containing minerals and melts. In addition, we are interested in and have
recently developed new techniques for measuring thermodynamic properties of molten silicates. An important new addition to our research facilities is a wide-bore 600 MHz NMR spectrometer that was delivered in July 1998.