LABORATORY OF MÖSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPY

Information on the service
The ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer Spectroscopy (MS) laboratory was established at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" in 2000, and is currently managed by Prof. Giovanni B. Andreozzi. The principal goal of the laboratory is studying crystalline materials, especially minerals: MS information (Fe oxidation state, Fe³⁺/Fe_Tot ratios, Fe ions coordination number, Fe atoms aggregation state) is used together with structural and chemical data collected on the same single-phase material to retrieve the topochemical model and to explain the physical properties. Outstanding materials studied so far are: natural and synthetic spinels, natural borosilicates (tourmaline and axinite), natural amphiboles (especially fibres), natural and synthetic zeolites, but also amorphous obsidian, clay, pumice, and other heterogeneous materials. In addition to Mineralogy (and, in a broad sense, Geological Sciences), the fields currently exploiting the results of Rome MS lab span from Environmental Sciences to Cultural Heritage to Materials Sciences to Biochemistry to Medicine.

Booking
A preliminary contact with the laboratory responsible Prof. G.B. Andreozzi is required.

Devices
The laboratory consists of two distinct benches with their own transducers, an old-fashion Elscint and a brand-new Wissel. The first one is used for Room Temperature spectra collection; the second one is used for Low Temperature spectra collection and is equipped with an Oxford liquid nitrogen cryostat. In both cases the absorber consists of sample powder, and the absorption spectra are measured by proportional counters. As a special feature, an in-house furnace may be used on the Elscint bench in order to collect spectra of samples heated up to 1000 K in vacuum or under controlled atmosphere.

Pictures from the lab