Cation diffusion patterns across the magneto-structural transition in Fe7S8


Date

2019-06-28

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Data

Abstract

Migration of atoms in solids during diffusion-dependent reactions is relatively fast and generally not directly recordable in experiments. Here we present an experimental framework that includes fast differential scanning calorimetry to resolve cation-migration paths in crystalline solids using the reversible magneto-structural transition of 4C to 1C pyrrhotite as a testbed. The transition between these two polymorphic Fe7S8 phases at about 600 K is a diffusive process of vacancies, respectively of Fe in octahedral interstitial sites within a hexagonal close-packed lattice of sulfur, and it coincides with the Curie temperature of 4C pyrrhotite. The Fe cations migrate along three kinds of diffusion paths, and their enthalpy contributions to the total reaction enthalpy are taken to define the diffusion patterns in the endothermic reaction and the exothermic back-reaction, respectively. Our experimental findings provide insight into the potential of diffusion patterns to disentangle ordering mechanisms in solids.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

21 (24)

Pages / Article No.

13040 - 13046

Publisher

Royal Society of Chemistry

Event

Edition / version

Methods

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Geographic location

Date collected

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Subject

Organisational unit

03661 - Löffler, Jörg F. / Löffler, Jörg F. check_circle
03734 - Jackson, Andrew / Jackson, Andrew check_circle

Notes

Funding

153173 - Magnetic thermodynamics of non-stoichiometric Fe-based mineral phases (SNF)

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