Besselink, R, Stawski, TM, Freeman, HM orcid.org/0000-0001-8242-9561 et al. (3 more authors) (2020) Mechanism of Saponite Crystallization from a Rapidly Formed Amorphous Intermediate. Crystal Growth & Design, 20 (5). pp. 3365-3373. ISSN 1528-7483
Abstract
Clays are crucial mineral phases in Earth’s weathering engine, but we do not know how they form in surface environments under (near-)ambient pressures and temperatures. Most synthesis routes, attempting to give insights into the plausible mechanisms, rely on hydrothermal conditions, yet many geological studies showed that clays may actually form at moderate temperatures (<100 °C) in most terrestrial settings. Here, we combined high-energy X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to derive the mechanistic pathways of the low-temperature (25–95 °C) crystallization of a synthetic Mg-clay, saponite. Our results reveal that saponite crystallizes via a two stage process: (1) a rapid (several minutes) coprecipitation where ∼20% of the available magnesium becomes incorporated into an aluminosilicate network, followed by (2) a much slower crystallization mechanism (several hours to days) where the remaining magnesium becomes gradually incorporated into the growing saponite sheet structure.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 American Chemical Society. This is an author produced version of an article published in Crystal Growth & Design. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Aluminosilicate,Clays,Crystallization,Ions,Magnesium |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Earth Surface Science Institute (ESSI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 03 Jul 2020 15:42 |
Last Modified: | 06 Apr 2021 00:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Chemical Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1021/acs.cgd.0c00151 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:162287 |