Fig. 9: Schematic representation of nanolite growth mechanisms. | Nature Communications

Fig. 9: Schematic representation of nanolite growth mechanisms.

From: 3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology

Fig. 9: Schematic representation of nanolite growth mechanisms.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

Small (<50 nm), subspherical-spherical nanolites, such as those observed in the STEM images, may form through a classical nucleation and growth mechanism. With increasing time, nanolites may aggregate to form larger, more irregular shaped structures such as those observed in the ptychographic images. The textures observed in the samples show less evidence of Ostwald ripening. Instead, Ostwald ripening may lead to the formation of microlites. Inset a shows a HAADF-STEM image (Fig. 3d) of spherical-subspherical nanolites (scale bar = 25 nm), whilst inset b shows a SEM image (Fig. 2b) of larger aggregates (scale bar = 2 μm).

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