Mössbauer Spectroscopy

To investigate the potential of tourmaline as a geochemical monitor, a comprehensive dataset on major, minor and trace element concentrations as well as Fe 3+ /Fe ratios of tourmaline is presented. The dataset includes samples from five plutonic complexes related to diverse magmatic to hydrothermal stages of the Cornubian Batholith (SW England). Tourmaline composition found in barren and cassiterite-bearing samples include all three primary tourmaline groups and tourmaline species with the general endmembers schorl, dravite, elbaite, uvite, feruvite, foitite and Mg-foitite. Based on textures and compositions, it is possible to distinguish not only between late-magmatic and hydrothermal tourmaline, but also between several formation stages. Hence, tourmaline monitors late-magmatic processes and the partitioning of elements during exsolution of an aqueous phase. For example , in hydrothermal tourmaline Sn is strongly enriched, while Ti, Cr, V and Sc are depleted compared to late-magmatic tourmaline of the same sample. Several tourmaline generations that precipitated from magmatic fluids can be distinguished with differing major and minor elements and REE patterns depending on the composition of the melt from which they were expelled from. Strongly zoned tourmaline allows for unraveling the hydrothermal history of a distinct location including ore precipitation. The precipitation of SnO 2 in the study area was probably caused by mixing between acidic, reduced, Sn-bearing magmatic fluids and oxidized meteoric fluids, which is in agreement with London and Manning (1995) and Williamson et al. (2000). Hence, the ability of tourmaline composition to monitor changes in Sn concentration and redox conditions in hydrothermal fluids has potential as an exploration tool.

Mg substituted X–type hexagonal ferrites with the chemical composition Ba2Zn2-xMgxFe28O46 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0) were successfully synthesised by a sol–gel auto–combustion technique, in order to investigate the effect of Mg substitution on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties. XRD analysis of prepared samples revealed the formation of pure X–type phase. The variations (decreasing trend) in lattice parameters with Mg substitution indicate the incorporation of Mg substitution into the crystal structure. The average crystallite size of heated powders was found to be in the range of 16–22 nm. For the first time, the RT hysteresis loops of Ba2Zn2Fe28O46 (Zn2X), Ba2Mg2Fe28O46 (Mg2X) and Ba2Zn2-xMgxFe28O46 (x = 0.0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0) were measured. The saturation magnetisation showed an initial decrease with x = 0.4 1.2, and then an increase with x > 1.2, to the largest final values of 63.29 A m2 kg−1 for the fully Mg–substituted x = 2.0. The value of coercivity lies in the range of 89.9–209.3 kA m−1 (1130–2630 Oe), and the magnetic results suggest that the compositions x = 0.0, 0.4 and 1.2 possess multi-domain microstructures, while x = 0.8, 1.6 and 2.0 possess single domain microstructures. The room temperature Mӧssbauer spectra were analysed with six sextets of five magnetic sublattices, and the results are presented as a function of Mg substitution. It was found that initial levels of Mg substitution reduce the Fe populations at a and b (spin up) sublattices, but that with x > 1.2 these become repopulated at fIV (spin down) site, resulting in an increase in magnetisation. Dielectric parameters such as dielectric constant and loss factor were studied as a function of frequency, and results show normal behaviour for ferrimagnetic materials. At low frequencies (100 Hz–2 MHz), relative permittivity was constant between 0.3 and 1.5 above 20 kHz, with the higher values belonging to the more dense samples. All Mg substituted samples had lower losses above 20 kHz than the pure Zn2X. In complex measurements at microwave frequencies (500 MHz–13.5 GHz), all samples had a real permittivity of around 7.5, except for the fully Mg–substituted sample (x = 2.0), which had a lower ε′ of 5.5. For two samples (x = 0.4 and 1.6) we observed dielectric resonances between 12.85 and 13.25 GHz. All showed a steady real permeability of around 1.2–1.5 over the whole 1–13 GHz range, and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) between 1 and 5 GHz, and ∼12.5 GHz.

Recently, Klaus Kassner posted an elaborate analysis on ResearchGate [1] where he criticizes the novel gravitation theory developed by T. Yarman and his colleagues-and in particular, M. Arik and A. Kholmetskii (whose initials altogether make up the designation "YARK theory" for easy reference). To this effect, Dr. Kassner claimed to have pinned down errors in a series of our publications with respect to Mössbauer experiments in a rotating system. Owing to the fact that a major portion of his critique already happens to be answered in several of our contributions put in print in the last few years, we shall keep our response as brief as possible.

Ferrofluids are nanomaterials consisting of magnetic nanoparticles that are dispersed in a carrier fluid. Their physical properties, and hence their field of application are determined by intertwined compositional, structural, and magnetic characteristics, including interparticle magnetic interactions. Magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by thermal decomposition of iron(III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O) in 2-pyrrolidone, and were then dispersed in two different fluids, water and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG). A number of experimental techniques (especially, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry) were employed to study both the as-prepared nanoparticles and the ferrofluids. We show that, with the adopted synthesis parameters of temperature and FeCl 3 relative concentration, nanoparticles are obtained that mainly consist of maghemite and present a high degree of structural disorder and strong spin canting, resulting in a low saturation magnetization (~45 emu/g). A remarkable feature is that the nanoparticles, ultimately due to the presence of 2-pyrrolidone at their surface, are arranged in nanoflower-shape structures, which are substantially stable in water and tend to disaggregate in PEG. The different arrangement of the nanoparticles in the two fluids implies a different strength of dipolar magnetic interactions, as revealed by the analysis of their magnetothermal behavior. The comparison between the magnetic heating capacities of the two ferrofluids demonstrates the possibility of tailoring the performances of the produced nanoparticles by exploiting the interplay with the carrier fluid.

Ferrimagnetic oxides may contain single or multi domain particles which get converted into super-paramagnetic state near a critical size. To explore the existence of these particles, we have made Mössbauer and magnetic studies of Cu 2 þ substitution effect in CoFe 2 À x O 4 Ferrites (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5). All the samples have a cubic spinel structure with lattice parameters increasing linearly with increase in Cu content. The hysteresis loops yield a saturation magnetization, coercive field, and re-manent magnetization that vary significantly with Cu content. The magnetic hysteresis curves shows a reduction in saturation magnetization and an increase in coercitivity with Cu 2 þ ion substitution. The anisotropy constant, K 1, is found strongly dependent on the composition of Cu 2 þ ions. The variation of saturation magnetization with increasing Cu 2 þ ion content has been explained in the light of Neel's molecular field theory. Mössbauer spectra at room temperature shows two ferrimagnetically relaxed Zeeman sextets. The dependence of Mössbauer parameters such as isomer shift, quadrupole splitting, line width and hyperfine magnetic field on Cu 2 þ ion concentration have been discussed.

We show that the attempt by Corda to explain the results of the Mössbauer rotor experiments via introducing the effect of synchronization of clock in the origin of a rotating system and a laboratory clock contains mathematical error and must be rejected. [http://vixra.org/abs/1902.0072]

Coal derived nano-particles has been received much concern recently around the world for their adverse effects on human health and the environment during their utilization. In this investigation the mineral matter present in some industrially important Indian coals and their ash samples are addressed. Coal and fly ash samples from the coal-based captive power plant in Meghalaya (India) were collected for different characterization and nano-mineralogy studies. An integrated application of advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution-Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM)/(Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) EDS/(selected-area diffraction pattern) SAED, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM)/EDS analysis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy were used to know their extent of risks to the human health when present in coal and fly ash. The study has revealed that the coals contain mainly clay minerals, whilst glass fragments, spinel, quartz, and other minerals in lesser quantities were found to be present in the coal fly ash. Fly ash carbons were present as chars. Indian coal fly ash also found to contain nanominerals and ultrafine particles. The coal-fired power plants are observed to be the largest anthropogenic source of Hg emitted to the atmosphere and expected to increase its production in near future years. The Multi Walled Carbon Nano-Tubes (MWCNTs) are detected in our fly ashes, which contains residual carbonaceous matter responsible for the Hg capture/encapsulation. This detailed investigation on the inter-relationship between the minerals present in the samples and their ash components will also be useful for fulfilling the clean coal technology principles.

The copper smelting site S1 in the Eisenerzer Ramsau
Valley, Styria, is the largest Bronze Age copper smelting
site excavated in the Eastern Alps. The site was almost
completely excavated from 1992 to 2006 and ten roasting
hearths, six double furnaces, a number of pits of
variable size, form and function, and three separate slag
dumps have been recorded. The use of this smelting
site covers the whole period of the Middle Bronze Age
from the 16th to the 13th century BC and might extend
as far as the 11th century BC. The aim of this archaeometallurgical
study is the reconstruction of the smelting
process at this site and the discovery of possible diachronic
changes or developments in the technology of
smelting during the different phases of use. Therefore
slags of the different archaeological phases were analysed
for their chemical and mineralogical composition.
A few slags were analysed with Mössbauer spectroscopy
to obtain further information about the conditions
during the smelting process.
The results of the analyses show that nearly all slags
belong to one particular step of the smelting process
which was the production of raw copper or copper matte
under reducing conditions at temperatures around
1250 °C.