Structure refinement and anisotropic atomic displacement parameters of 1M Illite: Rietveld and pair distribution function analysis using synchrotron X-ray radiation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Illite, a widespread clay mineral, plays a pivotal role in geological processes, notably as an indicator in diagenetic and hydrothermal alteration environments, and possesses significant industrial relevance in applications including ceramics, construction and catalysis. However, challenges including its nanoscale crystallinity, structural disorder and frequent interstratification with other clay minerals have hindered detailed structural characterization using conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. This study employs integrated synchrotron XRD and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to elucidate the crystal structure of the 1M illite polytype, yielding the first determination of its anisotropic atomic displacement parameters ( U aniso ). These U aniso parameters provide critical insights into atomic dynamics and static disorder within the structure, enabling a more refined understanding of structure–property relationships. This integrated approach, combining synchrotron XRD, Rietveld refinement and PDF analysis, yields a comprehensive structural characterization, capturing both average crystallographic and local atomic arrangements. Considering illite's widespread geological occurrence and industrial importance, this high-precision structural dataset, especially the determined U aniso values, provides a crucial benchmark for future modeling and simulation efforts targeting accurate prediction of its physicochemical behavior.
Author: Seungyeol Lee
Institution: Chungbuk National University
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,110
OpenAlex ID: W4411520687