Thermodynamic properties of CaCO3 calcite and aragonite: a quasi-harmonic calculation

A quasi-harmonic model has been used to simulate the thermodynamic behaviour of the CaCO3 polymorphs, by equilibrating their crystal structures as a function of temperature so as to balance the sum of inner static and thermal pressures against the applied external pressure. The vibrational frequencies and elastic properties needed have been computed using interatomic potentials based on two-body Born-type functions, with O-C-O angular terms to account for covalency inside the CO3 molecular ion. A good agreement with experimental data is generally shown by simulated heat capacity and entropy, while the thermal expansion coefficient seems to be more difficult to reproduce. The results obtained for aragonite are less satisfactory than those of calcite, but they are improved by using a potential specifically optimized on properties of that phase itself.