Influence of Silica Coatings on Magnetite-Catalyzed Selenium Reduction.

The reactivity of iron(II/III) oxide surfaces may be influenced by their interaction with silica, which is ubiquitous in aquatic systems. Understanding the structure-reactivity relationships of Si-coated mineral surfaces is necessary to describe the complex surface behavior of nanoscale iron oxides. Here, we use Si-adsorption isotherms and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to analyze the sorption and polymerization of silica on slightly oxidized magnetite nanoparticles (15% maghemite and 85% magnetite, i.

Nucleation in confinement generates long-range repulsion between rough calcite surfaces.

Fluid-induced alteration of rocks and mineral-based materials often starts at confined mineral interfaces where nm-thick water films can persist even at high overburden pressures and at low vapor pressures. These films enable transport of reactants and affect forces acting between mineral surfaces. However, the feedback between the surface forces and reactivity of confined solids is not fully understood.