Cell dimensions and antiferromagnetism of lunar and terrestrial ilmenite single crystals

Abstract

X-Ray diffraction and anisotropic magnetic measurements have been made on single crystals of lunar ilmenite and on terrestrial ilmenite from Bancroft, Ontario, Canada and the Ilmen Mountains, U.S.S.R. The elongated c "> c -axis of lunar ilmenite, previously reported, is confirmed by new measurements. The shorter c "> c -axis found in terrestrial specimens is ascribed to Fe 3+ substitution for Ti 4+ in the titanium layer. Magnetic measurements on the same specimens show that, in agreement with the Ishikawa-Shirane et al . model, the initial shortening of the c "> c -axis by the above substitution of small amounts of Fe 3+ (<8%) causes an increase in Fe 2+ −Fe 2+ exchange coupling through Fe 3+ in the titanium layer that lowers the Néel transition temperature. The Weiss temperatures and other magnetic parameters confirm this model proposed by Ishikawa and Shirane et al . Additional transitions found in one of the terrestrial specimens (Bancroft) have been ascribed to a small amount of an exsolved spinel phase, possibly a solid solution phase of magnetite-ülvospinel. The spinel phase is localized in hematite-rich blebs which exsolved from the host ilmenite-rich phase.