Pressure corrections for a selection of piston-cylinder cell assemblies

Piston-cylinder cell assemblies experience inhomogeneous pressure distribution upon pressurization due to the variable compressibilities of the cell components. This results in the sample experiencing a pressure lower than expected, given the applied force of the piston. Although the effect is generally compensated for by applying a ‘friction’ correction, there have been wide variations in the corrections applied for some of the harder cell materials. We have determined friction correction factors for a range of cell assemblies commonly used in our laboratory relative to select well-characterized phase equilibria. Single-sleeve NaCl cells require, using the piston-in technique, very small corrections of the order −0.05 GPa for 12.7 mm diameter, and less for larger diameter assemblies. Four separate calibrations of the single sleeve 12.7 mm BaCO 3 cell show that it requires a correction of −9%. This factor is entirely independent of temperature and pressure within the range 1000 to 1600°C and 1.5 to 3.2 GPa. This result is in contrast to the results of Fram and Longhi (1992) who claim that the correction for BaCO 3 cells is highly dependent on pressure. For the assemblies included in this study there is an increase in the pressure correction required in the order of 12.7 mm diameter NaCl-pyrex −3%; 19 mm talc-pyrex −3.6%; 12.7 mm BaCO 3 −9% and 12.7 mm BaCO 3 -silica glass −13%.