Dypingite as a hydration series with reversible change of H2O content

Abstract Dypingite has recently been found to have promising applications in material and environmental sciences. However, its exploitation is limited due to its ambiguous identification via powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), which is caused by the occurrence of several phases with similar structures and PXRD patterns to that of dypingite. Multiple dypingite-like phases with partially overlapping X-ray diffraction traces appear to exist. To better understand dypingite, we studied samples from Dypingdal and Feragen Ultramafic Body, Norway. Dypingite sensu stricto (s.s.), several dypingite-like phases, and hydromagnesite were identified by PXRD. Three regions of 2θ (CuKα) were recognized where diffraction peaks are readily observed to transition between dypingite s.s., dypingite-like phases, and hydromagnesite. The position of the peak at around 8.5° 2θ varies with the H2O contents measured by the thermogravimetric and Fourier transform infrared analyses, suggesting that structural and compositional characteristics of dypingite-like phases form a continuum between dypingite s.s. and hydromagnesite. Humidity incubation experiments at room temperature indicated a reversible change of H2O content between dypingite s.s. and dypingite-like phases. High humidity conditions increased H2O contents of dypingite-like phases to dypingite s.s., whereas low humidity conditions reversed the direction towards hydromagnesite, but without complete reaction. Such transition behavior suggests that the structures of dypingite s.s. and the dypingite-like phases are very similar, probably identical in building unit topology but with different degrees of hydration, whereas the structure of hydromagnesite is less closely related. This study draws attention to the sample processing on dypingite hydration series, contributes to the applications of this series in CO2 sequestration, and gives suggestions to the refinement of structures of dypingite and dypingite-like phases.