Microcline
A feldspar mineral with cross-hatch twinning and ice-nucleating properties.
Last updated
In the atmosphere, microcline serves as a remarkably potent agent for nucleating ice.[1]
Key facts and history
These crystals measured approximately 50 × 36 × 14 m.[2] Microcline is known as E number reference E555.[3] In 2008, it was the subject of a Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives from the EFSA.[4] It was the subject in 2018 of a Call for technical and toxicological data from the EFSA.[3]
A recent advance has clarified the mechanism by which water molecules attach to the microcline surface.[1]
What the research sources say
A 1981 paper by P.C. Rickwood in American Mineralogist documented the largest microcline crystals at Devil's Hole Beryl Mine.[2] A 2018 EFSA call requested technical and toxicological data on potassium aluminium silicate as E555.[3]
References
- Wikipedia, "Microcline" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: J.D. Atkinson, B.J. Murray, M.T. Woodhouse, T.F. Whale, K.J. Baustian, K.S. Carslaw, S. Dobbie, D. O'Sullivan, T.L. Malkin, "The importance of feldspar for ice nucleation by mineral dust in mixed-phase clouds", Nature, 2; G. Franceschi, A. Conti, L. Lezuo, R. Abart, F. Mittendorfer, M. Schmid, U. Diebold, "How Water Binds to Microcline Feldspar (001)", Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2024, p. 15–22 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Microcline" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: P.C. Rickwood, "The largest crystals", American Mineralogist, 1981, p. 885–907 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Microcline" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Call for technical and toxicological data on sodium aluminium silicate (E 554) and potassium aluminium silicate (E 555) authorised as food additives in the EU", EFSA, 7 November 2018 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Microcline" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: F. Aguilar, H. Autrup, S. Barlow, L. Castle, R. Crebelli, W. Dekant, K.-H. Engel, N. Gontard, D. Gott, S. Grilli, R. Gürtler, J.-C. Larsen, C. Leclercq, J.-C. Leblanc, F.-X. Malcata, W. Mennes, M.-R. Milana, I. Pratt, I. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Microcline (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
Also in the Codexery
More in Minerals & Crystals
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Microcline (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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