Critical Behaviour of the Heat Capacity Near the α-β Phase Transition in Quartz

Abstract

The α-β transition (TQ = 578°C) is studied in quartz by analyzing the experimental heat capacity Cp data taken from the literature, using a power-law formula. Values of the critical exponent α for Cp are extracted below and above TQ, which describe the α-β transition as a second order transition in quartz. The α values obtained here are compared with the predictions of the theoretical models.

Keywords

• heat capacity
• α-β transition
• quartz