NH3 adsorption and competition with H2O on a hydroxylated aluminosilicate surface.

The interaction between ammonia (NH3) and (alumino)silicates is of fundamental and applied importance, yet the specifics of NH3 adsorption on silicate surfaces remain largely unexplored, mainly because of experimental challenges related to their electrically insulating nature. An example of this knowledge gap is evident in the context of ice nucleation on silicate dust, wherein the role of NH3 for ice nucleation remains debated. This study explores the fundamentals of the interaction between NH3 and microcline feldspar (KAlSi3O8), a common aluminosilicate with outstanding ice nucleation abilities.

How Water Binds to Microcline Feldspar (001).

Microcline feldspar (KAlSiO) is a common mineral with important roles in Earth's ecological balance. It participates in carbon, potassium, and water cycles, contributing to CO sequestration, soil formation, and atmospheric ice nucleation. To understand the fundamentals of these processes, it is essential to establish microcline's surface atomic structure and its interaction with the omnipresent water molecules.