Speciation and diffusion profiles of H2O in water-poor beryl: comparison with cordierite

This paper reports on water speciation and diffusion in synthetic beryl samples treated in CO2-rich atmosphere, at 700 MPa and 700 and 800 °C, respectively. The study has been conducted by means of polarized FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) integrated with FPA (focal plane array) imaging. As expected, the infrared spectra show the presence of CO2 but also of minor H2O interpreted as resulting from moisture present in the starting materials used for the experiments. FPA-FTIR images show that H2O diffuses into the beryl matrix along the structural channels oriented parallel to [001]. Spectra collected along profiles parallel to the c-axis show subtle changes as a function of the distance from the crystal edge; these changes can be correlated to a progressive change in the H2O coordination environment in the channel, as a response to the varying H2O/alkali ratio. In particular, the data show that when 2H2O > Na+ apfu (atoms per formula unit), H2O can assume both type I and type II orientation; in the latter case, each Na cation coordinates two H2O[II] molecules (doubly coordinated H2O). If 2H2O < Na+ apfu, then H2O[II] molecules are singly coordinated to each Na cation. The same type of feature is observed and commented for the structurally related cordierite. Diffusion coefficients and activation energies have been also determined for both types of water molecules.