The Open Mineralogy Journal

2008, 2 : 34-47
Published online 2008 December 18. DOI: 10.2174/18744567000802010034
Publisher ID: TOMJ-2-34

AFM Study on Surface Microtopography, Morphology and Crystal Growth of Hydrothermal Illite in Izumiyama Pottery Stone from Arita, Saga Prefecture, Japan

Yoshihiro Kuwahara and Seiichiro Uehara
Department of Evolution of Earth Environments, Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Ropponmatsu, Fukuoka 810-8560, Japan.

ABSTRACT

Atomic force microscope (AFM) observation and analysis of Izumiyama hydrothermal illite (the weaker altered illite-kaolinite zone (IZ-1) and the higher altered illite zone (IZ-2)) were performed to understand the crystal growth mechanism and the relation between morphology and polytype of the illites. Our AFM results suggest that growth of the Izumiyama illite was controlled by a mechanism of solution-mediated polytype and spiral-type transformations, based on the Ostwald ripening process. The sequential variations could follow the changes in supersaturation and/or temperature of the solution. The paths of the thermal and supersaturation condition changes of the hydrothermal solutions for the two samples were estimated from the saturation state of the solution, which was evaluated by the step separation, polytype and mineral assemblage of the samples.

Keywords:

Atomic force microscopy (AFM), hydrothermal illite, crystal growth, spiral pattern, polytype.