Reexamination of the structure of opal-A

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Marco E. Ciriotti
Messaggi: 31675
Iscritto il: ven 25 giu, 2004 11:31
Località: via San Pietro, 55 I-10073 Devesi/Cirié TO - Italy
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Reexamination of the structure of opal-A

Messaggio da Marco E. Ciriotti » mer 21 lug, 2021 20:34

Prossima pubblicazione.

Referenza:
▪ Lee, S., Xu, H., Xu , H. (2022): Reexamination of the structure of opal-A: A combined study of synchrotron X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function analysis. American Mineralogist, 107, (in press).
Marco E. Ciriotti

«Things are interesting only in so far as they relate themselves to other things»

Avatar utente
Marco E. Ciriotti
Messaggi: 31675
Iscritto il: ven 25 giu, 2004 11:31
Località: via San Pietro, 55 I-10073 Devesi/Cirié TO - Italy
Contatta:

Re: Reexamination of the structure of opal-A

Messaggio da Marco E. Ciriotti » ven 01 lug, 2022 10:31

Pubblicazione effettuata.

Referenza:
▪ Lee, S., Xu, H., Xu , H. (2022): Reexamination of the structure of opal-A: A combined study of synchrotron X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function analysis. American Mineralogist, 107, 1353-1360.

Abstracxt:
The structure of opal-A was not fully understood due to its poorly crystalline nature. To better understand its structural characteristics, we have analyzed opal-AN (amorphous-network) and opal-AG (amorphous-gel) using synchrotron X‑ray diffraction (XRD), pair-distribution function (PDF) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Opal-AN mainly exists as an aggregation of different sizes of nanospheres (<5 nm) generating banded features, whereas opal-AG displays close-packed silica nanospheres with a diameter of ~400 nm. TEM energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) indicates that Na, Al, K, and Ca are present as trace elements in opal-AN and opal-AG. XRD patterns of both samples show one prominent peak at ~4.0 Å, together with broad peaks at ~2.0, ~1.45, and ~1.2 Å. Previous studies only identified the ~4.0 Å diffraction peak for the definition of opal-A. Hence, opal-A needs to be redefined by taking into account the newly observed three broad peaks. PDF patterns of opal-AN and opal-AG reveal short-range atomic pairs (<15 Å) with almost identical profiles. Both phases exhibit Si-O correlation at 1.61 Å and O-O correlation at 2.64 Å in their [SiO4] tetrahedra. The currently accepted opal structure is disordered intergrowths of cristobalite- and tridymite-like domains consisting of six-membered rings of [SiO4] tetrahedra. Our PDF analyses have identified additional, coesite-like nanodomains comprising four-membered [SiO4] rings. Moreover, we have identified eightmembered rings that can be generated by twinning and stacking faults from six-membered rings. The coesite nanodomains in opal-A may be a precursor for coesite micro-crystals formed by the impact of supersonic micro-projectiles at low pressures. More broadly, our study has also demonstrated that the combined approach of synchrotron XRD/PDF with TEM is a powerful approach to determine the structures of poorly crystallized minerals.
Marco E. Ciriotti

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