Structural clues to the origin of refractory metal alloys as condensates of the solar nebula

Abstract– Alloys of the refractory metals Re, Os, W, Ir, Ru, Mo, Pt, and Rh with small amounts of Fe and Ni are predicted to be one of the very first high-temperature condensates in a cooling gas of solar composition. Recently, such alloy grains were found in acid-resistant residues of the Murchison CM2 chondrite. We used focused ion beam (FIB) preparation to obtain electron-transparent sections of 15 submicrometer-sized refractory metal nuggets (RMNs) from the original Murchison residue. We studied their crystallography, microstructures, and internal compositional variations using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results show that all RMNs studied have hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystal structures despite considerable variations of their bulk compositions. Crystallographic superstructures or signs of spinodal decomposition are absent and defect microstructures are scarce. Internally, RMNs are compositionally homogeneous, with no evidence for zoning patterns or heterogeneities due to exsolution. Many RMNs show well-defined euhedral crystal shapes and all are nearly perfect single crystal. Our findings are consistent with a direct (near-) equilibrium condensation of refractory metals into a single alloy at high temperature in the solar nebula as predicted by current condensation models. We suggest that this alloy is generally hcp structured due to an extended e-phase field in the relevant multicomponent alloy system. The high degree of structural perfection and compositional homogeneity is attributed to high defect energies, high formation temperatures, slow cooling rates, small grain sizes, and rapid internal diffusion.