Akaganeite properties

Like X-ray diffraction patterns, neutron and electron diffraction patterns provide averaged information about the structure of a compound. Details of these techniques are given in works by Hirsch et al. (1965) and West (1988). Neutron diffraction involves interaction of neutrons with the nuclei of the atoms. As the neutrons are scattered relatively evenly by all the atoms in the compound, they serve to indicate the positions of the protons in an oxide hydroxide. This technique has been applied to elucidation of the structure and/or magnetic properties of goethite (Szytula et al., 1968 Forsyth et al., 1968), akaganeite (Szytula et al., 1970), lepidocrocite (Oles et al., 1970 Christensen Norlund-Christensen, 1978), hematite (Samuelson Shirane, 1970 Fernet et al., 1984) and wiistite (Roth, 1960 Cheetham et al., 1971 Battle Cheetham, 1979). A neutron diffractogram of a 6-line ferrihydrite was recently produced by Jansen et al. (2002) and has helped to refine its structure (see chap. 2). 

There is a number of synthetic substitutes for natural ferritin and the properties of these have been compared with those of ferritin. The synthetic polysaccharide iron complex (PIC), has a magnetic blocking temperature of 48K (Mohie-Eldin et al. 1994). Iron-dextran complexes are used as a substitute for ferritin in the treatment of anaemia. The iron cores of these complexes consist not of ferrihydrite, but of very poorly crystalline akaganeite with magnetic blocking temperatures of between 150 and 290 K (Muller, 1967 Knight et al. 1999) which were lowered from 55K to 35 and 25K, if prepared in the presence of 0.250 and 0.284 Al/(A1 -i- Fe), respectively (Cheng et al.2001). 

Cornell, R.M. (1991) Simultaneous incorporation of Mn, Ni and Co in the goethite (a-FeOOH) structure. Clay Min. 26 427-430 Cornell, R.M. (1992) Preparation and properties of Si substituted akaganeite (P-FeOOH). Z. Pflanzenemahr. Bodenk. 155 449-453 Cornell, R.M. Giovanoli, R. Schindler, P.W. (1987) Effect of silicate species on the transformation of ferrihydrite into goethite and hematite in alkaline media. Clays Clay Min. 35 12-28... 

Property Hematite Maghemite Goethite Akaganeite Lepido- crocite Nontronite Jarosite... 

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