RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy

Abstract Quasicrystals, solids with rotational symmetries forbidden for crystals, are usually synthesized in the laboratory by mixing specific ratios of selected elemental components in the liquid and quenching under strictly controlled protocols. Nevertheless, the discovery of Al-Cu-Fe natural quas...

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Main Authors: Giovanna Agrosì, Paola Manzari, Daniela Mele, Gioacchino Tempesta, Floriana Rizzo, Tiziano Catelani, Luca Bindi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-02-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01233-w
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author Giovanna Agrosì
Paola Manzari
Daniela Mele
Gioacchino Tempesta
Floriana Rizzo
Tiziano Catelani
Luca Bindi
author_facet Giovanna Agrosì
Paola Manzari
Daniela Mele
Gioacchino Tempesta
Floriana Rizzo
Tiziano Catelani
Luca Bindi
author_sort Giovanna Agrosì
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Quasicrystals, solids with rotational symmetries forbidden for crystals, are usually synthesized in the laboratory by mixing specific ratios of selected elemental components in the liquid and quenching under strictly controlled protocols. Nevertheless, the discovery of Al-Cu-Fe natural quasicrystals in the Khatyrka meteorite showed that these exotic phases could also form in high-velocity impact-induced shock events introducing an endeavour to search them in cosmic material. Here we report the discovery of an extraterrestrial icosahedral quasicrystal with an unusual composition Al51.7(6)Cu30.8(9)Fe10.3(4)Si7.2(9), ideally Al52Cu31Fe10Si7, found in a scoriaceous micrometeorite, named FB-A1, recovered at the top of Mt. Gariglione (Italy). The chemistry of the icosahedral phase was characterized by electron microprobe, and the rotational symmetry was confirmed by means of electron backscatter diffraction. The FB-A1 micrometeorite represents the third independent discovery of naturally occurring intermetallic Al-Cu-Fe-(Si) alloys in extraterrestrial bodies and the second case of extraterrestrial material containing a natural quasicrystal, after Khatyrka meteorite.
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spelling doaj-art-697b10dba68a4755bc5f273b6f231cd32025-08-20T02:43:27ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-02-01511610.1038/s43247-024-01233-wRETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern ItalyGiovanna Agrosì0Paola Manzari1Daniela Mele2Gioacchino Tempesta3Floriana Rizzo4Tiziano Catelani5Luca Bindi6Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroAgenzia Spaziale Italiana, Centro Spaziale di MateraDipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroDipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroDipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo MoroCentro Servizi MEMA, Università di FirenzeDipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di FirenzeAbstract Quasicrystals, solids with rotational symmetries forbidden for crystals, are usually synthesized in the laboratory by mixing specific ratios of selected elemental components in the liquid and quenching under strictly controlled protocols. Nevertheless, the discovery of Al-Cu-Fe natural quasicrystals in the Khatyrka meteorite showed that these exotic phases could also form in high-velocity impact-induced shock events introducing an endeavour to search them in cosmic material. Here we report the discovery of an extraterrestrial icosahedral quasicrystal with an unusual composition Al51.7(6)Cu30.8(9)Fe10.3(4)Si7.2(9), ideally Al52Cu31Fe10Si7, found in a scoriaceous micrometeorite, named FB-A1, recovered at the top of Mt. Gariglione (Italy). The chemistry of the icosahedral phase was characterized by electron microprobe, and the rotational symmetry was confirmed by means of electron backscatter diffraction. The FB-A1 micrometeorite represents the third independent discovery of naturally occurring intermetallic Al-Cu-Fe-(Si) alloys in extraterrestrial bodies and the second case of extraterrestrial material containing a natural quasicrystal, after Khatyrka meteorite.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01233-w
spellingShingle Giovanna Agrosì
Paola Manzari
Daniela Mele
Gioacchino Tempesta
Floriana Rizzo
Tiziano Catelani
Luca Bindi
RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
Communications Earth & Environment
title RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
title_full RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
title_fullStr RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
title_full_unstemmed RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
title_short RETRACTED ARTICLE: A naturally occurring Al-Cu-Fe-Si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern Italy
title_sort retracted article a naturally occurring al cu fe si quasicrystal in a micrometeorite from southern italy
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01233-w
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