Synthesis, TEM characterization and thermal behaviour of LiNiSi2O6 pyroxene

Abstract

A pyroxene with composition LiNiSi2O6 was synthesized at T = 1,473 K and P = 2.0 GPa; the cell parameters at T = 298 K are a = 9.4169(6) Å, b = 8.4465(7) Å, c = 5.2464(3) Å, β = 110.534(6)°, V = 390.78(3) Å3. TEM examination of the LiNiSi2O6 pyroxene showed the presence of h + k odd reflections indicative of a primitive lattice, and of antiphase domains obtained by dark field imaging of the h + k odd reflections. A HT in situ investigation was performed by examining TEM selected area diffraction patterns collected at high temperature and synchrotron radiation powder diffraction. In HTTEM the LiNiSi2O6 was examined together with LiCrSi2O6 pyroxene. In LiCrSi2O6 the h + k odd critical reflections disappear at about 340 K; they are sharp up to the transition temperature and do not change their shape until they disappear. In LiNiSi2O6 the h + k odd reflections are present up to sample deterioration at 650 K. A high temperature synchrotron radiation powder diffraction investigation was performed on LiNiSi2O6 between 298 and 773 K. The analysis of critical reflections and of changes in cell parameters shows that the space group is P-centred up to the highest temperature. The comparative analysis of the thermal and spontaneous strain contributions in P21/c and C2/c pyroxenes indicates that the high temperature strain in P-LiNiSi2O6 is very similar to that due to thermal strain only in C2/c spodumene and that a spontaneous strain contribution related to pre-transition features is not apparent in LiNiSi2O6. A different high-temperature behaviour in LiNiSi2O6 with respect to other pyroxenes is suggested, possibly in relation with the presence of Jahn–Teller distortion of the M1 polyhedron centred by low-spin Ni3+.