CO Mineralization by MgO Nanocubes in Nanometric Water Films.

Water films formed by the adhesion and condensation of air moisture on minerals can trigger the formation of secondary minerals of great importance to nature and technology. Magnesium carbonate growth on Mg-bearing minerals is not only of great interest for CO capture under enhanced weathering scenarios but is also a prime system for advancing key ideas on mineral formation under nanoconfinement. To help advance ideas on water film-mediated CO capture, we tracked the growth of amorphous magnesium carbonate (AMC) on MgO nanocubes exposed to moist CO gas.