High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite

Icosahedrite, natural icosahedral Al63Cu24Fe13, was discovered in a meteorite about 15 years ago. We have carried out a high-resolution X-ray diffraction study on a sample of this meteoritic mineral at the ESRF. The diffraction pattern turned out to be identical to an intermediate phase observed in...

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Main Authors: H. Takakura, K. Mizunuma, T. Yamada, A. Bosak, F. Formisano, L. Paolasini, M. de Boissieu, P. J. Steinhardt, L. Bindi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Union of Crystallography 2025-07-01
Series:IUCrJ
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Online Access:https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S2052252525004130
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author H. Takakura
K. Mizunuma
T. Yamada
A. Bosak
F. Formisano
L. Paolasini
M. de Boissieu
P. J. Steinhardt
L. Bindi
author_facet H. Takakura
K. Mizunuma
T. Yamada
A. Bosak
F. Formisano
L. Paolasini
M. de Boissieu
P. J. Steinhardt
L. Bindi
author_sort H. Takakura
collection DOAJ
description Icosahedrite, natural icosahedral Al63Cu24Fe13, was discovered in a meteorite about 15 years ago. We have carried out a high-resolution X-ray diffraction study on a sample of this meteoritic mineral at the ESRF. The diffraction pattern turned out to be identical to an intermediate phase observed in synthetic i-AlCuFe during the transformation from the quasicrystalline state to a periodic rhombohedral phase. This particular natural Al63Cu24Fe13 grain is an icosahedral quasicrystal on which a modulation by six cosine waves propagating along the fivefold axes is superimposed, with a wavelength of about 20 nm and a polarization in the phason/perpendicular space. By examining the thermodynamic conditions for producing this modulated icosahedral phase at high pressure in the laboratory, we may gain insights into the formation process of the Khatyrka meteorite.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher International Union of Crystallography
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spelling doaj-art-280a8f93ac0a4ce8b67fc4922208acd72025-08-20T03:29:26ZengInternational Union of CrystallographyIUCrJ2052-25252025-07-0112443544310.1107/S2052252525004130gq5018High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteoriteH. Takakura0K. Mizunuma1T. Yamada2A. Bosak3F. Formisano4L. Paolasini5M. de Boissieu6P. J. Steinhardt7L. Bindi8Faculty of Engineering, Division of Applied Physics, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, JapanGraduate School of Engineering, Division of Applied Physics, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, JapanFaculty of Advanced Engineering, Department of Applied Physics, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 125-8585, JapanEuropean Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, FranceCNR-IOM & INSIDE@ILL c/o Operative Group in Grenoble (OGG) and Institut Laue Langevin (ILL), Grenoble F-38042, FranceEuropean Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, FranceUniversité Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, SIMaP, Grenoble FranceDepartment of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USADepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Florence I-50121, ItalyIcosahedrite, natural icosahedral Al63Cu24Fe13, was discovered in a meteorite about 15 years ago. We have carried out a high-resolution X-ray diffraction study on a sample of this meteoritic mineral at the ESRF. The diffraction pattern turned out to be identical to an intermediate phase observed in synthetic i-AlCuFe during the transformation from the quasicrystalline state to a periodic rhombohedral phase. This particular natural Al63Cu24Fe13 grain is an icosahedral quasicrystal on which a modulation by six cosine waves propagating along the fivefold axes is superimposed, with a wavelength of about 20 nm and a polarization in the phason/perpendicular space. By examining the thermodynamic conditions for producing this modulated icosahedral phase at high pressure in the laboratory, we may gain insights into the formation process of the Khatyrka meteorite.https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S2052252525004130icosahedritequasicrystalsicosahedral modulated phasesphasonskhatyrka meteorite
spellingShingle H. Takakura
K. Mizunuma
T. Yamada
A. Bosak
F. Formisano
L. Paolasini
M. de Boissieu
P. J. Steinhardt
L. Bindi
High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
IUCrJ
icosahedrite
quasicrystals
icosahedral modulated phases
phasons
khatyrka meteorite
title High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
title_full High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
title_fullStr High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
title_full_unstemmed High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
title_short High-resolution synchrotron X-ray study of icosahedrite, an icosahedral AlCuFe quasicrystal from the Khatyrka meteorite
title_sort high resolution synchrotron x ray study of icosahedrite an icosahedral alcufe quasicrystal from the khatyrka meteorite
topic icosahedrite
quasicrystals
icosahedral modulated phases
phasons
khatyrka meteorite
url https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S2052252525004130
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