Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 January 2024
Crystal truncation rod (CTR) X-ray diffraction is an invaluable tool for measuring mineral surface and adsorbate structures, and has been applied to several environmentally and geochemically important systems. Traditionally, the method has been restricted to single crystals with lateral dimensions >3 mm. Minerals that meet this size criterion represent a minute fraction of those that are relevant to interfacial geochemistry questions, however. Crystal screening, data collection, and CTR measurement methods have been developed for crystals of <0.3 mm in lateral size using the manganese oxide mineral chalcophanite (ZnMn3O7·3H2O) as a case study. This work demonstrates the feasibility of applying the CTR technique to previously inaccessible surfaces, opening up a large suite of candidate substrates for future study.
This article is a product of the 2020 CMS Workshop held in conjunction with the 57th Annual Meeting of The Clay Minerals Society, Richland, Washington, USA.
This manuscript was presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of The Clay Minerals Society as part of its 2020 Workshop on "Emerging Methods in Clay Science" held at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Richland, Washington, USA