Diamagnetic anisotropy of sheetsilicates

Abstract

The diamagnetic properties of sheetsilicates are studied by measuring the magnetic orientation of micron-sized crystals. In the case of synthetic phlogopite with the average diameter of 0.65 μm and the thickness of 0.2 μm, the alignment of the grains is achieved in the magnetic field below 35 kOe. The planes of the platy single-crystal grains were alignned parallel to the field when the alignment was achieved. The alignment of the grains is realized because the field-induced anisotropic energy, caused by the diamagnetic anisotropy in the mineral's crystal structure, exceeds thermal agitation energy in the applied field. By analyzing the field dependence of grain alignment, the diamagnetic anisotropy per formula unit, Δ_χ, of sheetsilicate mineral is estimated even if a large single crystal is not provided. The field-induced anisotropic energy is proportional to NΔ_χ where N is the number of molecules in the grain.

A linear correlation has been found between the Δ_χ value and the F/OH mole ratio among the measured sheetsilicates. This correlation supports the assumption that the hexagonally packed oxygen-layer in the crystal lattice induces the anisotropies of the sheetsilicates.