High-pressure spectroscopic investigation of ε-FeOOH: toward a better understanding of pressure-induced hydrogen-bond symmetrization
Authors:
- Izumi MashinoIMIzumi Mashino
- Shigeru YamashitaSYShigeru Yamashita
- Takashi YoshinoTYTakashi Yoshino
Open Access
- 24 May 2026
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in Physics and Chemistry of Minerals
- Vol. 53 (2)
Abstract
High-pressure spectroscopic measurements of ε-FeOOH were conducted up to ~ 65 GPa at room temperature in diamond anvil cells. The pressure evolution of the Raman vibrational modes confirms that a hydrogen-bond-symmetrization-induced phase transition from P 2 1 nm to Pnnm occurs at ~ 18 GPa. Infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements suggest that the Pnnm phase has a disordered hydrogen state, and no spectroscopic evidence for fully centered hydrogen bonds is observed within the investigated pressure range. Above ~ 45 GPa, Fe 3+ in ε-FeOOH undergoes a high-spin to low-spin transition as indicated by a reduction of the unit cell volume, together with reductions in IR transmitted and Raman signals. These results demonstrate that ε‑FeOOH preserves a disordered hydrogen‑bond configuration up to at least 45 GPa, whereas δ-AlOOH transforms to a centered hydrogen-bond configuration at ~ 18 GPa. This compositional contrast suggests that Fe‑bearing oxyhydroxides follow a distinct evolution of hydrogen bonding under compression, providing insight into hydrogen behavior in deep Earth materials.Keywords
Funding Information
- Okayama University
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