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Neutron diffraction in gemology: Single-crystal diffraction study of brazilianite, NaAl3(PO4)(2)(OH)(4)

Gatta, G. Diego; Vignola, Pietro; Meven, Martin; Rinaldi, Romano


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{
  "@context": "https://schema.org/", 
  "@id": "https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2013.4476", 
  "@type": "ScholarlyArticle", 
  "creator": [
    {
      "@type": "Person", 
      "name": "Gatta, G. Diego"
    }, 
    {
      "@type": "Person", 
      "name": "Vignola, Pietro"
    }, 
    {
      "@type": "Person", 
      "name": "Meven, Martin"
    }, 
    {
      "@type": "Person", 
      "name": "Rinaldi, Romano"
    }
  ], 
  "datePublished": "2013-01-01", 
  "description": "<p>The chemical composition and the crystal structure of a gem-quality brazilianite from the Tel&iacute;rio pegmatite, near Lin&oacute;polis, Minas Gerais, Brazil, [NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)4, a = 11.2448(5) &Aring;, b = 10.1539(6) &Aring;, c = 7.1031(3) &Aring;, &beta; = 97.351(4)&deg;, V = 804.36(7) &Aring;3, space group P21/n, Z = 4], have been reinvestigated by means of electron microprobe analysis in wavelength-dispersive mode, single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction. The chemical analysis shows that brazilianite from Tel&iacute;rio Claim approaches almost ideal composition. The neutron anisotropic structural refinement was performed with final agreement index R1 = 0.0290 for 211 refined parameters and 2844 unique reflections with Fo &gt; 4&sigma;(Fo), the X-ray refinement led to R1 = 0.0325 for 169 refined parameters and 2430 unique reflections with Fo &gt; 4&sigma;(Fo). The building-block units of the brazilianite structure consist of chains of edge-sharing AlO4(OH)2 and AlO3(OH)3 octahedra. Chains are connected, via corner-sharing, by P-tetrahedra to form a three-dimensional framework, with Na atoms located in distorted cavities running along [100]. Five independent H sites were located, here labeled as H(1), H(2a), H(2b), H(3), and H(4). The configuration of the OH groups, along with the complex hydrogen-bonding scheme, are now well defined. The O-H distances corrected for &quot;riding motion&quot; range between ~0.992 and ~1.010 &Aring;, the O&middot;&middot;&middot;O distances between ~2.67 and ~2.93 &Aring;, and the O-H&middot;&middot;&middot;O angles between ~151&deg; and ~174&deg;. The H(2a) and H(2b) are only ~1.37 &Aring; apart and mutually exclusive (both with site occupancy factor of 50%). The differences between the crystal structure of brazilianite and wardite [ideally NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)4&middot;2H2O] are discussed. This work fulfills the need for accurate crystal-chemical data for this gem mineral.</p>", 
  "headline": "Neutron diffraction in gemology: Single-crystal diffraction study of brazilianite, NaAl3(PO4)(2)(OH)(4)", 
  "identifier": "https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2013.4476", 
  "image": "https://zenodo.org/static/img/logos/zenodo-gradient-round.svg", 
  "inLanguage": {
    "@type": "Language", 
    "alternateName": "eng", 
    "name": "English"
  }, 
  "keywords": [
    "FP7", 
    "European Commission", 
    "Research Infrastructures", 
    "EC", 
    "SP4-Capacities"
  ], 
  "license": "", 
  "name": "Neutron diffraction in gemology: Single-crystal diffraction study of brazilianite, NaAl3(PO4)(2)(OH)(4)", 
  "url": "https://www.openaccessrepository.it/record/21900"
}
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