Structural order and disorder in Precambrian kerogens

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Org. Geochem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6380(88)90260-4· OSTI ID:6784889

Buseck, P R; Bo-Jun, H; Miner, B

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been used to examine the structures of a wide range of Precambrian kerogens from rocks with ages between 0.9 and 3.8 billion years. The authors find recognizable structural ordering in samples that show little or no evidence of crystallinity by powder X-ray diffraction measurements. A wide range in degree of ordering is evident in the HRTEM images. A rough correlation exists between the ordering displayed in the HRTEM images and both the sample ages and their H/C ratios. Many kerogen samples are structurally heterogeneous, possibly reflecting a variety of precursors, and source regions. The observed structural heterogeneities probably extend to other parameters; when isotopic and X-ray measurements can be made on the same scale as HRTEM images, similar scatter presumably will also be evident.

• Research Organization: Arizona State Univ., Tempe (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6784889
• Journal Information: Org. Geochem.; (United States), Vol. 12:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
KEROGEN
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
AGE DEPENDENCE
CARBON
HYDROGEN
PRECAMBRIAN ERA
QUANTITY RATIO
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC AGES
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
NONMETALS
ORGANIC MATTER
ROCKS
SCATTERING
023000* - Petroleum- Properties & Composition