Previously unknown quasicrystal periodic approximant found in space.

ABSTRACT: We report the discovery of Al₃₄Ni₉Fe₂, the first natural known periodic crystalline approximant to decagonite (Al₇₁Ni₂₄Fe₅), a natural quasicrystal composed of a periodic stack of planes with quasiperiodic atomic order and ten-fold symmetry. The new mineral has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association (IMA 2018-038) and officially named proxidecagonite, which derives from its identity to periodic approximant of decagonite. Both decagonite and proxidecagonite were found in fragments from the Khatyrka meteorite. Proxidecagonite is the first natural quasicrystal approximant to be found in the Al-Ni-Fe system. Within this system, the decagonal quasicrystal phase has been reported to transform at ~940 °C to Al

SUBMITTER: Bindi L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6214956 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature