Structural properties and medium-range order in calcium-metasilicate (CaSiO3) glass: A molecular dynamics study

Structural properties and medium-range order (MRO) in calcium metasilicate (CaSiO3) glass are investigated at different concentrations of calcium oxide through the molecular dynamics technique. Calculations are based on the Born–Mayer–Huggins potential, and show that the experimental Ca–Ca partial structure factor, which documents the existence in the glass of Ca MRO, can qualitatively be reproduced within such a model. The characteristics of Ca MRO are then examined in the context of the overall structure of the system. At equimolar concentrations of CaO and SiO2, the simulation evidentiates the formation in the glass of clusters of CaO6 octahedra in which Ca ions are roughly lying on a plane, in a configuration that closely resembles the one of crystalline CaSiO3. On the other hand, the ‘network’ structure and MRO of pure SiO2 glass appear sensibly affected by the presence of Ca ions, with considerable loose of connectivity between SiO4 tetrahedral units, and reduction of the first sharp diffraction peak in the neutron structure factor. The q-space investigation of charge–charge correlations signals the presence of medium-range charge ordering in the calcium vs oxygen ion distribution, at a wave vector equal to that associated to Ca MRO. The meaning and implications of this result are discussed.