The Ti environment in natural hibonite: XANES spectroscopy and computer modelling

The local atomic structure around Ti in Ti-bearing hibonite (CaAl12O19) was studied using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and computer modelling. Structural models of the direct substitution of Al by Ti3+, Al by Ti4+ charge balanced by the coupled substitution of Mg2+ for Al, and small Ti clusters were considered. The Ti K-XANES spectra of natural hibonite with different Ti concentration were recorded. Theoretical Ti K- XANES spectra for structural models of hibonite were calculated. It was shown that the theoretical Ti K-XANES spectra for a model with Ti at the five-coordinated M2 site are in agreement with the experimental XANES spectra of hibonite with low concentrations of Ti, while the theoretical spectra for a structural model of clustered Ti are in agreement with the experimental spectra of hibonite with higher Ti contents.