Thermodynamic characteristics of a natural zinc silicate hemimorphite: Researches by the method of low-temperature adiabatic calorimetry and quantum chemical computation of vibrational states

The temperature dependence of heat capacity of a natural zinc silicate, hemimorphite Zn 4 Si 2 O 7 (OH) 2 ·H 2 O, over the temperature range 5–320 K has been investigated by the method of low-temperature adiabatic calorimetry. On the basis of the experimental data on heat capacity over the whole temperature interval, its thermodynamic functions C p ( T ), S ( T ) and H ( T ) − H (0) have been calculated. The existence of a phase transition in the area of 90–105 K determined on the basis of vibrational spectra has been confirmed, and changes of entropy Δ S tr. and enthalpy Δ H tr. of the phase transition have been calculated. Hemimorphite heat capacity has also been determined by the calculation methods according to the valence force field model in LADY program. The values of force constants of valence bonds and angles have been calculated by semi-empirical method PM5. The calculated IR and Raman spectra concordant with the experimental spectra have been obtained. The heat capacity values calculated according to the found vibrational states satisfactorily agree with those experimentally obtained with an accuracy of ±1.7% in the area of 120–200 K, and not more than ±0.8% for the interval of 200–300 K. This fact testifies that the calculation of thermodynamic characteristics is correct.