FTIR study of aquamarines after gamma irradiation, heat treatment and electrodiffusion

Abstract Beryl, Be3Al2(SiO3)6, is a natural gemstone with many colors. Some of these colors can be induced or modified by exposure to ionizing radiation, by heating, and maybe by electrodiffusion. Small contents of chromophore chemical elements are related to the colors of beryl, like iron, chromium, vanadium, manganese, and others. There is great interest in relation to methods of improving or inducing colors in beryl. There is evidence that infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) can contribute to foresee beryl behavior submitted to procedures for color change. It was observed that electrodiffusion with or without contaminant ions did not alter the FTIR spectrum of aquamarines, unlike heat treatment. Green samples have a higher content of type I water molecules, whereas blue samples have a higher content of type II water molecules. Significant changes in FTIR spectra of aquamarines were observed only in green samples after exposure to gamma rays or to heat. The vanishing of the band at 3633 cm-1 may be related to the position of Na+ ion in the crystal lattice of beryl.