Data for "First Discovery of Impact-Induced Vapor Deposition of Cu Metal, FeCo Alloy and Digenite from Chang'e-5 Lunar Soil"

Impact-induced vapor deposition is an important space weathering process that can alter or reconstruct the chemical composition of the surface materials on the Moon and other airless celestial bodies. Some phenomena associated with meteorite impact have been reported in lunar and asteroid samples, such as nanoparticles of Fe metal, the mineral hapkeite (Fe2Si) and digenite (Cu9S5). Previous studies have focused mainly on silicate minerals, while sulfides were less investigated. Using the electron microanalysis technology, we first discovered the coexistence of Cu metal, FeCo alloy and Cu-sulfide (digenite) layer on the surface of troilite in a Chang'e-5 basalt clast. The thin digenite layer (50~100 nm) on the surface of troilite and mineral interstice indicates the origin of impact-induced vapor deposit. Both Cu and Co are probably exogenous since no Cu- or Co-bearing components were detected in the sample. This indicates that Cu metal, FeCo alloy and digenite layer are all the products of shock-induced vapor deposition.