Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T02:43:00.864Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Illite-smectite from the North Sea investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

H. Lindgreen
Affiliation:
Clay Mineralogical Laboratory, Geological Survey of Denmark, Thoravej 8, DK 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark
J. Garnaes
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Santa Barbara, University of California, CA 93106, USA
F. Besenbacher
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, University of Aarhus, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
E. Laegsgaard
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, University of Aarhus, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
I. Stensgaard
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, University of Aarhus, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Abstract

Two samples of illite-smectite (I-S) isolated from Upper Jurassic clays in well 2/7-3 (3365 m) and well 2/11-1 (4548 m) have been investigated by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), and the particle shape and dimensions have been correlated to results from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on shadowed specimens and results from atomic-force microscopy (AFM). By STM, lath-like and equant particles were observed in both samples, some of the particles having sharp edges. In the I-S from well 2/11-1, spiral-shaped particles were also seen. For both samples, the most frequent particle diameter was 100–200 Å. Particle-thickness distributions from STM and TEM were similar for the I-S from well 2/7-3, being dominated by 10 Å thick particles. For I-S from 2/11-1, the STM particle-thickness distribution has a predominance of 20 Å thick particles, but the TEM particle-thickness distribution is broad, with about equal amounts of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 Å thick particles. The AFM particle-thickness distribution for this I-S resembles the TEM thickness distribution. It is concluded that mainly thin (10 and 20 Å) particles are seen by STM. Failure of AFM to show sharp particle edges (seen in STM and TEM) might be attributed to the AFM tip movement or tip shape. In STM, I-S particles from well 2/7-3 have peaks along edges, whereas I-S particles from well 2/11-1 have rims. These rims are also seen in AFM and are therefore real geometrical features, probably a result of two-dimensional growth, whereas the spirals in the I-S from well 2/11-1 demonstrate three-dimensional growth. The minimum thickness of most particles is 10 Å.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albrecht, T.R. & Quate, C.F. (1987) Atomic resolution imaging of a nonconductor by atomic force microscopy. J. Appi Phys., 62, 2599–2602.Google Scholar
Amouric, M. & Baronnet, A. (1983) Effect of early nucleation conditions on synthetic muscovite polytypism as seen by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Phys. Chem. Minerals, 9, 146–159 Google Scholar
Binnig, G. & Rohrer, H. (1988) Scanning tunnel microscopy. IBM J. Res. Dev., 30, 355–369.Google Scholar
Binnig, G., Gerber, C., Stoll, E., Albrecht, T. & Quate, C.F. (1987) Atomic resolution with atomic force microscope. Europhys. Lett., 3, 1281–1287.Google Scholar
Drake, B., Prater, C.B., Weisenhorn, A.L., Gould, S. A.C., Albrecht, T.R., Quate, C.F., Cannell, D.S., Hansma, H.G. & Hansma, P.K. (1989) Imaging crystals, polymers, and processes in water with the atomic force microscope. Science, 243, 1586–1589.Google Scholar
Engel, A. (1991) Biological applications of scanning sensor microscopes. Ann. Rev. Biophys. Biophysical Chem., 20, 79–108.Google Scholar
Gould, S.A.C., Drake B., , Prater, C.B., Weisenhorn, A., Manne, S., Hansma, H.G., Hansma, P.K., Massie, J., Longmire, M., Elings, V., Northern, B.D., Mukergee, B., Peterson, C.M., Stoeckenius, W., Albrecht, T.R. & Quate, C.F. (1990) From atoms to integrated circuit chips, blood cells, and bacteria with the atomic force microscope. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A8, 369373.Google Scholar
Hansen, P.L. & Lindgreen, H. (1987) Structural investigations of mixed-layer smectite-illite day minerals from North Sea oil source rocks. Proc. 45th Ann. Meet. Electron Microscopy Soc. America, Baltimore,, 374375.Google Scholar
Hansen, P.L. & Lindgreen, H. (1989) Mixed-layer illite/smectite diagenesis in Upper Jurassic claystones from the North Sea and onshore Denmark. Clay Miner., 24, 197–213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hansma, P.K. & Tersoff, J. (1987) Scanning tunnelling microscopy. J. Appl. Physics, 61, R1-R23.Google Scholar
Hansma, P.K., Eungs, V.B., Marti, O. & Bracker, C.E. (1988) Scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy: Application to biology and technology. Science, 242, 209–215.Google Scholar
Hoh, J.H., Lal, R., John, S. A., Revel, J.-P. & Arnsdorf, M.F. (1991) Atomic force microscopy and dissection of gap junctions. Science, 253, 1405–1408,CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindgreen, H. & Hansen, P.L. (1991) Ordering of illite-smectite in Upper Jurassic claystones from the North Sea. Clay Miner., 26, 105–125.Google Scholar
Lindgreen, H., Garnaes, J., Hansen P., , Besenbacher, F., Laegsgaard, E., Stensgaard, I., Gould, S.A.C. & Hansma, P.K. (1991) Ultrafine particles of North Sea illite/smectite clay minerals investigated by STM and AFM. Am. Miner., 76, 1218–1222.Google Scholar
McColl, M. & Mead, C.A. (1965) Electron current through thin mica films. Trans. Metallurgical Soc. AIME, 233, 502–511.Google Scholar
Meunier, M., Currie, J.F., Wertheimer, M.R. & Yelon, A. (1983) Electrical conduction in biotite micas. J. Appl. Phys., 54, 898–905.Google Scholar
Nadeau, P.H., Wilson, M J., McHardy, W.J. & Tait, J.M. (1987) Fundamental nature of illite/smectite: A reply. Clays Clay Miner., 35, 77–79.Google Scholar
Wang, Z., Hartman, T., Baumeister, W. & Guckenberger, R. (1990) Thickness determination of biological samples with a z-calibrated scanning tunnelling microscope. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 87, 9343–9347.Google Scholar