The Effects of High-Grade Metamorphism on Cr-Spinel from the Archean Sittampundi Complex, South India

We investigated the crystal and structural behavior of Cr-bearing spinels from the Archean chromitites of Sittampundi (India), which had been subjected to very high-grade metamorphism. The structural data show that their oxygen positional parameters are among the highest ever recorded for Cr-bearing spinels with similar Cr# and Mg# and very similar to those found for other Archean occurrences. The general agreement between electron microprobe and Mössbauer data indicates that the analyzed spinels are stoichiometric. It is therefore most likely that the PH2O and Ptotal values as well as both the oxygen fugacity and the temperature reached during high-grade metamorphism inhibited the possibility of the non-stoichiometry of chromites, contrary to what can happen in ophiolites, where non-stoichiometry has recently been documented.

Mössbauer measurements of GaFeO3 single crystal multiferroic

Mössbauer measurements on single crystal absorbers at room and at low temperatures were performed. The results are fully consistent with previously published reports by other groups. Spectra of single crystals were simultaneously analyzed including magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole interactions. The analysis shows that there is a small component of magnetic moments perpendicular to the magnetic easy axis. Mössbauer data seem not agree with commonly accepted ferrimagnetic structure of GaFeO3.

Mössbauer study of iron gall inks on historical documents

Iron gall ink was used in the Western world as a permanent writing material already in late Roman times and throughout the Middle Ages, until it became obsolete in the twentieth century. There is much interest in experimental methods to determine the state of the ink and its degradation products on historical documents. Mössbauer spectroscopy with 57Fe is such a method, and it has the particular advantage to be sensitive to the chemical bonding of iron, but this method has only rarely been applied to historical documents. In this paper we present Mössbauer data for two damaged documents from a Library in Granada and a handwritten German book from the eighteenth century. In addition to the inked parts of the manuscripts, ink-free parts were studied to determine the amount and chemical state of the iron in the papers. These new results are discussed in the context of previously published Mössbauer data. In one of the investigated documents Fe(II)-oxalate, FeC2O4·2H2O, was observed. The assignment of the various Fe3+ sites in the different documents is rather difficult and often there is a superposition of various species. Known forms of iron gallate are definitely not present on the inked papers. The observed ferric species can be remains of Fe3+ polyphenol complexes of the ink, complexes of Fe3+ with degradation products of the cellulose of the paper or gum arabic, or very small iron oxide or hydroxide nanoparticles.

Mössbauer Study of Iron Gall Inks on Historical Documents

Iron gall ink was used as a permanent writing material already in late Roman times and throughout the Middle Ages, until it became obsolete in the 20th century. There is much interest in non-destructive experimental methods to determine the state of the ink and its degradation products on historical documents. Mössbauer spectroscopy is such a method, and it has the particular advantage to be sensitive to the chemical bonding of iron, but this method has only rarely been applied to historical documents. In this paper we present Mössbauer data for two damaged documents from a Library in Granada and a handwritten German book from the 18th century. These new results are discussed in the context of previously published Mössbauer data. In one of the investigated documents Fe-(II)-oxalate, FeC2O4·2H2O, was observed. The assignment of the various Fe3+ sites in the different documents is rather difficult and often there is a superposition of various species. These species can be remains of the Fe-tannin complexes of the ink, complexes of Fe3+ with the cellulose of the paper and different iron oxide or hydroxide nanoparticles.

Contribution of 155Gd Mössbauer data to the study of the magnetic interaction in heterodinuclear 3d–Gd (3d = Cu, Ni) coordination complexes

The observed 155Gd Mössbauer isomer shifts of 3d–Gd complexes give an experimental proof for the participation of 5d Gd orbitals to the magnetic interaction in these 3d–Gd complexes.

Влияние содержания кислорода на локальное окружение атомов Fe в анион-дефицитном SrFeO-=SUB=-3-delta-=/SUB=-

The structure features of polycrystalline anion-deficient ferrite strontium SrFeO3-δ have been investigated for different oxygen content by Mossbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Three structures with a different composition have been prepared depending on heat treatment conditions. Several non-equivalent Fe positions exist within each structure that correspond to different local oxygen environments the relation and distortion degree of which change depending on oxygen quantity. Based on the Mossbauer data obtained an oxygen content has been estimated for each structure. One more the model intermediate composition Sr16Fe16O45 of the SrFeO3-δ compound is proposed.

Crystal Structure and Coordination of B-Cations in the Ruddlesden–Popper Phases Sr3−xPrx(Fe1.25Ni0.75)O7−δ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4)

Compounds Sr3−xPrxFe1.25Ni0.75O7−δ with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4 and Ruddlesden–Popper n = 2 type structures were synthesized and investigated by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, thermogravimetry, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Both samples, prepared at 1300 °C under N2(g) flow and samples subsequently air-annealed at 900 °C, were studied. The structures contained oxygen vacancies in the perovskite layers, and the Fe/Ni cations had an average coordination number less than six. The oxygen content was considerably higher for air-annealed samples than for samples prepared under N2, 7 − δ = ~6.6 and ~5.6 per formula unit, respectively. Mössbauer data collected at 7 K, below magnetic ordering temperatures, were consistent with X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) results. The electrical conductivity was considerably higher for the air-annealed samples and was for x = 0.1~30 S·cm−1 at 500 °C. The thermal expansion coefficients were measured in air between room temperature and 900 °C and was found to be 20–24 ppm·K−1 overall.

Ammoniovoltaite, (NH4)2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12(H2O)18, a new mineral from the Severo-Kambalny geothermal field, Kamchatka, Russia

Ammoniovoltaite, (NH4)2Fe2+5Fe3+3Al(SO4)12(H2O)18, is a new voltaite-group mineral. The mineral was discovered at the Severo-Kambalny (North-Kambalny) geothermal field, Kambalny volcanic ridge, Southern Kamchatka, Russia. Ammoniovoltaite forms at ~100°C around geothermal gas/steam vents in association with alunogen, tschermigite and pyrite. Crystals of ammoniovoltaite have euhedral habit, are up to 50 µm in size and grow on alunogen plates. Ammoniovoltaite is black with vitreous lustre, opaque, brittle and water-soluble. Neither cleavage nor parting is found, the fracture is conchoidal. The mineral is isotropic, with the refractive index n = 1.602(2) (589 nm). Infrared spectra contain an absorption band at 1433 cm–1 distinctive for the ammonium ion. The chemical composition is (iron content is given in accordance with Mössbauer data, H2O calculated from a crystal-structure refinement, wt.%): FeO 13.26, Fe2O3 11.58, MgO 2.33, ZnO 0.04, Al2O3 2.74, SO3 47.46, K2O 0.19, CaO 0.11, (NH4)2O 2.96, H2O 16.03, total 96.70. The empirical formula based on S = 12 atoms per formula unit is [(NH4)1.88K0.08Ca0.04]Σ2.00(Fe2+3.74Mg1.17Fe3+0.05Zn0.01)Σ4.97(Fe3+2.89Al0.09)Σ2.98Al1.00(SO4)12.00(H2O)18.00. The crystal structure has been refined to R1 = 0.031 and 0.030 on the basis of 1217 and 1462 unique reflections with I >2σ(I) collected at 100 K and room temperature, respectively. Ammoniovoltaite is the ammonium analogue of voltaite. The mineral is cubic, Fd$\bar{3}$c, a = 27.250(1) Å and V = 20234(3) Å3 (at 100 K); and a = 27.322(1) Å and V = 20396(3) Å3 (at RT), with Z = 16. The strongest lines of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)] are: 9.67 (74) (022), 7.90 (56) (222), 5.58 (84) (422), 3.560 (100) (731), 3.418 (100) (008) and 2.8660 (37) (931). A brief review of ammonium minerals from various volcanically active geological environments is given.