scholarly journals Crystal Structure of Moganite and Its Anisotropic Atomic Displacement Parameters Determined by Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction and X-ray/Neutron Pair Distribution Function Analyses

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 272
Author(s):  
Seungyeol Lee ◽  
Huifang Xu ◽  
Hongwu Xu ◽  
Joerg Neuefeind

The crystal structure of moganite from the Mogán formation on Gran Canaria has been re-investigated using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray/neutron pair distribution function (PDF) analyses. Our study for the first time reports the anisotropic atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) of a natural moganite. Rietveld analysis of synchrotron XRD data determined the crystal structure of moganite with the space group I2/a. The refined unit-cell parameters are a = 8.7363(8), b = 4.8688(5), c = 10.7203(9) Å, and β = 90.212(4)°. The ADPs of Si and O in moganite were obtained from X-ray and neutron PDF analyses. The shapes and orientations of the anisotropic ellipsoids determined from X-ray and neutron measurements are similar. The anisotropic ellipsoids for O extend along planes perpendicular to the Si-Si axis of corner-sharing SiO4 tetrahedra, suggesting precession-like movement. Neutron PDF result confirms the occurrence of OH over some of the tetrahedral sites. We postulate that moganite nanomineral is stable with respect to quartz in hypersaline water. The ADPs of moganite show a similar trend as those of quartz determined by single-crystal XRD. In short, the combined methods can provide high-quality structural parameters of moganite nanomineral, including its ADPs and extra OH position at the surface. This approach can be used as an alternative means for solving the structures of crystals that are not large enough for single-crystal XRD measurements, such as fine-grained and nanocrystalline minerals formed in various geological environments.

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seungyeol Lee ◽  
Huifang Xu

Determination of the atomic-scale structures of certain fine-grained minerals using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been challenging because they commonly occur as submicron and nanocrystals in the geological environment. Synchrotron powder diffraction and scattering techniques are useful complementary methods for studying this type of minerals. In this review, we discussed three example studies investigated by combined methods of synchrotron radiation XRD and pair distribution function (PDF) techniques: (1) low-temperature cristobalite; (2) kaolinite; and (3) vernadite. Powder XRD is useful to determine the average structure including unit-cell parameters, fractional atomic coordinates, occupancies and isotropic atomic displacement parameters. X-ray/Neutron PDF methods are sensitive to study the local structure with anisotropic atomic displacement parameters (ADP). The results and case studies suggest that the crystal structure and high-quality ADP values can be obtained using the combined methods. The method can be useful to characterize crystals and minerals that are not suitable for single-crystal XRD.


Author(s):  
Seungyeol Lee ◽  
Huifang Xu

Determination of the crystal structures of low-temperature tridymite and cristobalite using single-crystal XRD has been challenging because they generally occur as metastable fine-grained crystals in the geological environment. Therefore, using powder diffraction and scattering techniques is critical to study the low-temperature crystals. Synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), pair distribution function (PDF) and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the structure of orthorhombic tridymite with C2221 symmetry and tetragonal cristobalite with P41212 symmetry, including their anisotropic atomic displacement parameters (ADPs). Rietveld refinement was used to determine the unit-cell parameters, fractional coordinates and isotropic atomic displacement parameters (U iso) of the tridymite and cristobalite. The PDF method was used to determine ADPs for each atom. The results suggest that the crystal structure with high quality ADP values can be obtained using the combined methods of XRD and PDF analyses. The method can be used for characterizing crystals that are not suitable for single-crystal XRD.


Author(s):  
Günther J. Redhammer ◽  
Martin Meven ◽  
Steffen Ganschow ◽  
Gerold Tippelt ◽  
Daniel Rettenwander

Large single crystals of garnet-type Li6La3ZrTaO12 (LLZTO) were grown by the Czochralski method and analysed using neutron diffraction between 2.5 and 873 K in order to fully characterize the Li atom distribution, and possible Li ion mobility in this class of potential candidates for solid-state electrolyte battery material. LLZTO retains its cubic symmetry (space group Ia 3 d) over the complete temperature range. When compared to other sites, the octahedral sites behave as the most rigid unit and show the smallest increase in atomic displacement parameters and bond length. The La and Li sites show similar thermal expansion in their bond lengths with temperature, and the anisotropic and equivalent atomic displacement parameters exhibit a distinctly larger increase at temperatures above 400 K. Detailed inspection of nuclear densities at the Li1 site reveal a small but significant displacement from the 24d position to the typical 96h position, which cannot, however, be resolved from the single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The site occupation of LiI ions on Li1 and Li2 sites remains constant, so there is no change in site occupation with temperature.


Author(s):  
Andreas Schönleber ◽  
Sander van Smaalen ◽  
Hans-Christoph Weiss ◽  
Andreas J. Kesel

At low temperatures the organic salt adamantan-1-ammonium 4-fluorobenzoate, C10H18N+·C7H4FO2−, possesses an incommensurately modulated crystal structure. The effect of the modulation on the atomic arrangement and intermolecular interactions is studied by analysing single-crystal X-ray diffraction data within the (3 + 1)-dimensional superspace approach and superspace groupP21/n(α0γ)00. The modulation strongly affects the position of the atoms as well as their atomic displacement parameters. Nevertheless, the molecular cations and anions are built by rigid moieties, which vary their orientation with respect to each other as a function of the phase of the modulationt. Cations and anions are connected into slabs by dense N—H...O and C—H...F hydrogen-bonded networks, which are characterized by being rather rigid and which show only a little variation as a function of the phase of the modulationt.


Author(s):  
Kaori Yokota ◽  
Ryuta Watanuki ◽  
Miki Nakashima ◽  
Masatomo Uehara ◽  
Jun Gouchi ◽  
...  

The crystal structures of praseodymium silicide (5/4), Pr5Si4, and neodymium silicide (5/4), Nd5Si4, were redetermined using high-quality single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The previous structure reports of Pr5Si4 were only based on powder X-ray diffraction data [Smith et al. (1967). Acta Cryst. 22 940–943; Yang et al. (2002b). J. Alloys Compd. 339, 189–194; Yang et al., (2003). J. Alloys Compd. 263, 146–153]. On the other hand, the structure of Nd5Si4 has been determined from powder data [neutron; Cadogan et al., (2002). J. Phys. Condens. Matter, 14, 7191–7200] and X-ray [Smith et al. (1967). Acta Cryst. 22 940–943; Yang et al. (2002b). J. Alloys Compd. 339, 189–194; Yang et al., (2003). J. Alloys Compd. 263, 146–153] and single-crystal data with isotropic atomic displacement parameters [Roger et al., (2006). J. Alloys Compd. 415, 73–84]. In addition, the anisotropic atomic displacement parameters for all atomic sites have been determined for the first time. These compounds are confirmed to have the tetragonal Zr5Si4-type structure (space group: P41212), as reported previously (Smith et al., 1967). The structure is built up by distorted body-centered cubes consisting of Pr(Nd) atoms, which are linked to each other by edge-sharing to form a three-dimensional framework. This framework delimits zigzag channels in which the silicon dimers are situated.


Author(s):  
Süheyla Özbey ◽  
F. B. Kaynak ◽  
M. Toğrul ◽  
N. Demirel ◽  
H. Hoşgören

AbstractA new type of inclusion complex, S(–)-1 phenyl ethyl ammonium percholorate complex of R-(–)-2-ethyl - N - benzyl - 4, 7, 10, 13 - tetraoxa -1- azacyclopentadecane, has been prepared and studied by NMR, IR and single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The compound crystallizes in space group


2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 330-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabina Kovač ◽  
Ljiljana Karanović ◽  
Tamara Đorđević

Two isostructural diarsenates, SrZnAs2O7(strontium zinc diarsenate), (I), and BaCuAs2O7[barium copper(II) diarsenate], (II), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three-dimensional open-framework crystal structure consists of corner-sharingM2O5(M2 = Zn or Cu) square pyramids and diarsenate (As2O7) groups. Each As2O7group shares its five corners with five differentM2O5square pyramids. The resulting framework delimits two types of tunnels aligned parallel to the [010] and [100] directions where the large divalent nine-coordinatedM1 (M1 = Sr or Ba) cations are located. The geometrical characteristics of theM1O9,M2O5and As2O7groups of known isostructural diarsenates, adopting the general formulaM1IIM2IIAs2O7(M1II= Sr, Ba, Pb;M2II= Mg, Co, Cu, Zn) and crystallizing in the space groupP21/n, are presented and discussed.


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