dominik-talla

Mgr. Dominik Talla, PhD
dominik.talla(a)univie.ac.at
Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 (UZA II),
1090 Vienna
Room number: 2B376
T: +43-1-4277-53255

Curriculum vitae [pdf]

Research Focus

Hydrothermal synthesis of single crystals of representatives of the kieserite group (kieserite, MgSO₄·H₂O)

Hydrothermal synthesis of single crystals of representatives of the kieserite group (kieserite, MgSO₄·H₂O), for investigations by FTIR spectroscopy, electron beam microprobe and powder as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction. The investigations take place at ambient as well as at low temperature and high pressure conditions. Possible structural transformations or polytypy at temperature and pressure conditions similar to those on Mars and the interior of the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn will be detected. The influence of solid solution formation (partial replacement of Mg by Fe, Ni, Mn, etc.) on IR spectra, cell metrics and crystal structures will be determined and compared with remote sensing results (Mars rover and orbiter).

Fig. 1: Typical appearance of hydrothermally synthesized kieserite crystals (MgSO₄·H₂O).

Research on nominally anhydrous minerals

Research on nominally anhydrous minerals, e.g. studies on wulfenite, wolframite and halogen compounds (sellaite, villiaumite, halite, fluorspar); IR spectra of natural samples, as well as synthetically produced single crystal analogs are studied and compared.

Fig. 2: Synthetic Mn-doped single crystals of MgWO₄ (Huanzalaite).

Fig. 3: Absorption bands in the IR spectrum of sellaite indicating the presence of hydrogen-containing structural defects.

Crystal synthesis for REE photoluminescence studies

Crystal synthesis for REE photoluminescence studies on selected accessory minerals (zircon, xenotime/monazite, titanite) to determine structure distortion and amorphization due to chemical heterogeneity and radiation damage.

Fig. 4: Synthetic Eu-doped YPO₄ single crystal for photoluminescence
investigations.

Fig. 5: Hyperspectral photoluminescence map of a zoned monazite crystal. The outer zone is strongly enriched in Th and Ca.

Experimental iron smelting in racing furnaces from the early Middle Ages

Investigation of both the role of the chemism, structure and mineralogy of the starting ore, as well as the type of charcoal, blower and wind supply of the furnace on the quality of the resulting metal product. The handling of ores rich in phosphorus (Lorraine minette), from which often only brittle and unforgeable steel is obtained, is extremely topical.

Fig. 6: Extraction of a dense iron lobe prepared from the limonite ore from Olomučany, Moravian Karst, Czech Republic.

Fig. 7: Skeletal melilite crystals in a CaO-contaminated slag cake from the bottom of the racing furnace.

Publications

2023

Talla, D., Giester, G., & Wildner, M. (2023). Structural and spectroscopic study of the kieserite-type (Mg,Mn)SO4·H2O solid solution at ambient and low temperatures relevant to Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Icarus, 401, [115583]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115583

Talla, D., Beran, A., & Škoda, R. (2023). Natural and artificial OH defect incorporation into fluoride minerals at elevated temperature—a case study of sellaite, villiaumite and fluorite. Mineralogy and Petrology, 117(2), 359-372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00710-023-00824-3

Balassone, G., Talla, D., Beran, A., & Bellatreccia, F. (2023). Infrared Spectroscopy and Application to Forensics. In Mineralogical Analysis Applied to Forensics: A Guidance on Mineralogical Techniques and Their Application to the Forensic Field (pp. 93-140). Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Soil Forensics https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08834-6_4

Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (Accepted/In press). Unravelling the true nature of Martian ‘lh’-kieserite. Paper presented at MinWien2023, Wien, Austria.

2022

Talla, D., & Wagner, A. (2022). The Gel Growth Technique: A Neglected Yet Effective Tool to Prepare Crystals of Oxysalts and Supergene Minerals. Minerals, 12(5), [645]. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050645

Wildner, M., Zakharov, B. A., Bogdanov, N. E., Talla, D., Boldyrevab, E. V., & Miletich, R. (2022). Crystallography relevant to Mars and Galilean icy moons: Crystal behavior of kieserite-type monohydrate sulfates at extraterrestrial conditions down to 15 K. IUCrJ, 9(2), 194-203. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252521012720

2021

Wildner, M., Ende, M., Meusburger, J. M., Kunit, R., Matzinger, P., Talla, D., & Miletich, R. (2021). CoSO₄·H₂O and its continuous transition compared to the compression properties of isostructural kieserite-type polymorphs. Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 236(8-10), 225–237. https://doi.org/10.1515/zkri-2021-2038

Wildner, M., Ende, M., Meusburger, J., Kunit, R., Matzinger, P., Talla, D., & Miletich, R. (2021). High-pressure phase transition of kieserite-type CoSO₄•H₂O and comparative compression properties of isotypic compounds MeSO₄•H₂O (Me²⁺ = Mg, Fe, Ni). Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Mineralogischen Gesellschaft, 167, 158.

Talla, D., Zwicker, J., Nagl, P., Filek, T., Peckmann, J., & Losos, Z. (2021). The 'loukasteine' from the Moravian karst - radial calcite concretions formed in a plastic gel-like clay medium. Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Mineralogischen Gesellschaft, 167, 149.

2020

Talla, D., Balla, M., Aicher, C., Lengauer, C., & Wildner, M. (2020). Structural and spectroscopic study of the kieserite-dwornikite solid solution series, (Mg,Ni)SO₄·H₂O, at ambient and low temperatures, with cosmochemical implications for icy moons and Mars. American Mineralogist: an international journal of earth and planetary materials, 105(10), 1472-1489. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2020-7287

Ende, M., Kirkkala, T., Loitzenbauer, M., Talla, D., Wildner, M., & Miletich, R. (2020). High-Pressure Behavior of Nickel Sulfate Monohydrate: Isothermal Compressibility, Structural Polymorphism, and Transition Pathway. Inorganic Chemistry, 59(9), 6255-6266. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00370

Meusburger, J. M., Ende, M., Matzinger, P., Talla, D., Miletich, R., & Wildner, M. (2020). Polymorphism of Mg-monohydrate sulfate kieserite under pressure and its occurrence on giant icy jovian satellites. Icarus, 336, [113459]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.113459

2019

Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). Investigation of the kieserite–szomolnokite solid-solution series, (Mg,Fe)SO₄·H₂O, with relevance to Mars: Crystal chemistry, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy under ambient and martian temperature conditions. American Mineralogist: an international journal of earth and planetary materials, 104(12), 1732–1749. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-2019-6983

Giester, G., Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). Contributions to the stereochemistry of zirconium oxysalts—part III: syntheses and crystal structures of M ²⁺Zr(SO₄)₃ with M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Cd, and a note on (Fe^3+,2+,Zr)₂(SO₄)₃ and Fe₂(SO₄)₃. Monatshefte für Chemie, 150(11), 1877-1892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00706-019-02496-2

Giester, G., Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). Correction to: Contributions to the stereochemistry of zirconium oxysalts—part III: syntheses and crystal structures of M ²⁺Zr(SO₄)₃ with M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Cd, and a note on (Fe^3+,2+,Zr)₂(SO₄)₃ and Fe₂(SO₄)₃ (Monatshefte für Chemie - Chemical Monthly, (2019), 10.1007/s00706-019-02496-2). Monatshefte für Chemie, 150(11), 1893–1894. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00706-019-02510-7

Meusburger, J. M., Ende, M., Talla, D., Wildner, M., & Miletich, R. (2019). Transformation mechanism of the pressure-induced C2/c-to-P1¯ transition in ferrous sulfate monohydrate single crystals. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 277, 240-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2019.06.004

Talla, D., Nagl, P., Merta, O., Barák, M., & Skoda, R. (2019). Ancient iron smelting revisited by modern techniques: What makes an iron ore work? Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Mineralogischen Gesellschaft, 165, 91.

Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). The FTIR and Raman spectroscopic study of kieserite, MgSO₄·H₂O, an important sulfate in our Solar system, across its cosmochemically relevant solid solutions. In ECMS2019 - Book of Abstracts

Giester, G., Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). Crystal structures of M²⁺Zr(SO₄)₃ with M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn and Cd, and their relationship with Fe₂(SO₄)₃. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Supplement Issue, 39, 95.

Talla, D., & Wildner, M. (2019). IR-spectroscopic investigation of kieserite-cobaltkieserite solid solutions, Mg_1-xCo_xSO₄•H₂O, under ambient and low temperature conditions with relevance to Mars and icy moons. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Supplement Issue, 39, 50-51.