Abstract
Microcrystalline opal-CT and opal-C were investigated by 29Si MAS NMR and 29Si {1H} cross polarisation MAS NMR spectroscopy, X-ray small angle scattering, X-ray powder diffraction and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The results are compared with those for non-crystalline precious opal (opal-AG), non-crystalline hyalite (opal-AN), moderately disordered cristobalite and with well ordered low-cristobalite and low-tridymite. Opal-C is confirmed to be strongly stacking disordered low-cristobalite with about 20 to 30% probability for tridymitic stacking. More extensively stacking disordered opal-CT does not contain detectable domains of low-cristobalite or low-tridymite. The stacking sequence is close to 50% cristobalite and 50% tridymitic. The local order decreases with increasing stacking disorder, so that the structural state of microcrystalline opals lies between cristobalite, tridymite and non-crystalline opals.
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Graetsch, H., Gies, H. & Topalović, I. NMR, XRD and IR study on microcrystalline opals. Phys Chem Minerals 21, 166–175 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203147
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203147