Silicon isotope fractionation during the precipitation of quartz and the adsorption of H_4SiO_(4(aq))on Fe(Ⅲ)-oxyhydroxide surfaces

Equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among orthosilicic acid(i.e.,H4 Si O4(aq)), quartz and the adsorption complexes of H4 Si O4(aq)on Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide surface were calculated using the full-electron wave-function quantum chemistry methods [i.e., B3LYP/6-311G(2df,p)]with a new cluster-model-based treatment. Solvation effects were carefully included in our calculations via water-droplet method combined with implicit solvent models(e.g., PCM).The results revealed that, if it is under equilibrium conditions,heavy Si isotopes would be significantly enriched in quartz in comparison to H4 Si O4(aq). However, most of the field observations suggested that quartz would have identical or even depleted d30 Si values compared to that of H4 Si O4(aq). To explain this discrepancy between the equilibrium calculation results and the field observations, the kinetic isotope effect(KIE) associated with the formation of amorphous silica,which usually is the precursor of crystalline quartz, was investigated using quantum chemistry methods. The KIE results showed that amorphous silica would be significantly enriched in light Si isotopes during its formation. Our equilibrium fractionation results, however, matched a special type of quartz(i.e., Herkimer ‘‘diamond'') very well, due to its nearly equilibrated precipitation condition. Opposite to the case of precipitated quartz, a large equilibrium Si isotope fractionation(i.e.,-3.0 %) was found between the absorbed bidentate Si surface complexes(i.e.,2C [ Fe2O2Si(OH)2) and H4 Si O4(aq). This calculated equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factor largely differed from a previous experimental result(ca.-1.08 %). We found that the formation of transient or temporary surface complexes [e.g.,1V [ Fe2OSi(OH)3] may have accounted for the smaller net fractionation observed.With the equilibrium and kinetic Si isotope fractionation factors provided here, the distributions and changes of Si isotope compositions in the Earth's surface systems can be better understood.

Equilibrium and kinetic Si isotope fractionation factors and their implications for Si isotope distributions in the Earth's surface environments

Several important equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among minerals,organic molecules and the H_4SiO_4 solution are complemented to facilitate the explanation of the distributions of Si isotopes in Earth's surface environments.The results reveal that,in comparison to aqueous H_4SiO_4,heavy Si isotopes will be significantly enriched in secondary silicate minerals.On the contrary,quadra-coordinated organosilicon complexes are enriched in light silicon isotope relative to the solution.The extent of ^(28)Si-enrichment in hyper-coordinated organosilicon complexes was found to be the largest.In addition,the large kinetic isotope effect associated with the polymerization of monosilicic acid and dimer was calculated,and the results support the previous statement that highly ^(28)Sienrichment in the formation of amorphous quartz precursor contributes to the discrepancy between theoretical calculations and field observations.With the equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors provided here,Si isotope distributions in many of Earth's surface systems can be explained.For example,the change of bulk soil δ^(30)Si can be predicted as a concave pattern with respect to the weathering degree,with the minimum value where allophane completely dissolves and the total amount of sesquioxides and poorly crystalline minerals reaches their maximum.When,under equilibrium conditions,the well-crystallized clays start to precipitate from the pore solutions,the bulk soil δ^(30)Si will increase again and reach a constant value.Similarly,the precipitation of crystalline smectite and the dissolution of poorly crystalline kaolinite may explain the δ^(30)Si variations in the ground water profile.The equilibrium Si isotope fractionations among the quadracoordinated organosilicon complexes and the H_4SiO_4solution may also shed light on the Si isotope distributions in the Si-accumulating plants.

Evidence for topological superconductivity: Topological edge states in Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructure

Majorana fermions have been predicted to exist at the edge states of a two-dimensional topological superconductor.We fabricated single quintuple layer(QL)Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructure with the step-flow epitaxy method and studied the topological properties of this system by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy.We observed the coexistence of robust superconductivity and edge states on the single QL Bi2Te3 islands which can be potential evidence for topological superconductor.