TY - JOUR
T1 - A multi-domain gem-grade Brazilian apatite
AU - Baikie, Tom
AU - Schreyer, Martin K.
AU - Wong, Chui Ling
AU - Pramana, Stevin S.
AU - Klooster, Wim T.
AU - Ferraris, Cristiano
AU - McIntyre, Garry J.
AU - White, T. J.
PY - 2012/10
Y1 - 2012/10
N2 - A gem-grade apatite from Brazil of general composition (Ca, Na) 10[(P, Si, S)O4]6(F, Cl, OH)2 has been studied using single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction together with synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. Earlier electron microscopy studies had shown the nominally single-phase apatite contains an abundant fluorapatite (F-Ap) host, together with chloro-hydroxylapatites (Cl/OH-Ap) guest phases that encapsulate hydroxylellestadite (OH-El) nanocrystals. While the latter features appear as small (200-400 nm) chemically distinct regions by transmission electron microscopy, and can be identified as separate phases by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction, these could not be detected by singlecrystal X-ray and neutron analysis. The observations using neutron, X-ray and electron probes are however consistent and complementary. After refinement in the space group P63/m the tunnel anions F-are fixed at z = 1/4 along <001>, while the anions Cl- and OH- are disordered, with the suggestion that O-H···O-H··· hydrogen-bonded chains form in localized regions, such that no net poling results. The major cations are located in the 4f AFO6 metaprism (Ca+Na), 6h ATO6X tunnel site (Ca only), and 6h BO4 tetrahedron (P+Si+S). The structural intricacy of this gem stone provides further evidence that apatite microstructures display a nano-phase separation that is generally unrecognized, with the implication that such complexity may impact upon the functionality of technological analogues.
AB - A gem-grade apatite from Brazil of general composition (Ca, Na) 10[(P, Si, S)O4]6(F, Cl, OH)2 has been studied using single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction together with synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. Earlier electron microscopy studies had shown the nominally single-phase apatite contains an abundant fluorapatite (F-Ap) host, together with chloro-hydroxylapatites (Cl/OH-Ap) guest phases that encapsulate hydroxylellestadite (OH-El) nanocrystals. While the latter features appear as small (200-400 nm) chemically distinct regions by transmission electron microscopy, and can be identified as separate phases by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction, these could not be detected by singlecrystal X-ray and neutron analysis. The observations using neutron, X-ray and electron probes are however consistent and complementary. After refinement in the space group P63/m the tunnel anions F-are fixed at z = 1/4 along <001>, while the anions Cl- and OH- are disordered, with the suggestion that O-H···O-H··· hydrogen-bonded chains form in localized regions, such that no net poling results. The major cations are located in the 4f AFO6 metaprism (Ca+Na), 6h ATO6X tunnel site (Ca only), and 6h BO4 tetrahedron (P+Si+S). The structural intricacy of this gem stone provides further evidence that apatite microstructures display a nano-phase separation that is generally unrecognized, with the implication that such complexity may impact upon the functionality of technological analogues.
KW - Apatite
KW - Laue neutron diffraction
KW - Synchrotron x-ray diffraction
KW - X-ray diffraction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867356152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2138/am.2012.4069
DO - 10.2138/am.2012.4069
M3 - Article
SN - 0003-004X
VL - 97
SP - 1574
EP - 1581
JO - American Mineralogist
JF - American Mineralogist
IS - 10
ER -