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Shock Synthesis of Decagonal Quasicrystals
J Oppenheim1, C Ma1, J Hu1
1Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd. M/C170-25, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
Scientific Reports
|November 17, 2017
Summary
Scientists synthesized decagonal quasicrystals, similar to those found in the Khatyrka meteorite, using a novel shock recovery experiment. This research sheds light on quasicrystal stability under extreme pressures.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mineralogy
- High-Pressure Physics
Background:
- The Khatyrka meteorite contains both icosahedral and decagonal quasicrystals.
- Previous shock experiments successfully synthesized icosahedral quasicrystals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize decagonal quasicrystals, specifically decagonite (Al71Ni24Fe5), using a shock recovery experiment.
- To investigate the stability of quasicrystals under high-pressure shock conditions.
Main Methods:
- Shock recovery experiment using stacked Aluminum 2024 and permalloy 80 alloys within a stainless steel 304 chamber.
- Chemical characterization via scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis.
- Structural characterization using electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.
Main Results:
- Abundant decagonal quasicrystals (Al73Ni19Fe4Cu2Mg0.6Mo0.4Mn0.3) were synthesized at the interface between shocked Al and permalloy.
- The experiment also produced AlNiFe alloy with B2 structure and metastable Al9Ni2 phase.
- Characterization confirmed the chemical and structural properties of the synthesized phases.
Conclusions:
- The shock recovery experiment successfully synthesized decagonal quasicrystals, providing insights into their formation.
- Findings contribute to understanding quasicrystal stability during high-pressure shock events.
- This work aids in interpreting the complex phase assemblage observed in the Khatyrka meteorite.
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