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Ferrihydrite reactivity toward carbon dioxide
Douglas B Hausner1, Narayan Bhandari, Andro-Marc Pierre-Louis
1Temple University, Department of Chemistry, 1901 N. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States. dugh@temple.edu
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|June 30, 2009
Summary
Carbon dioxide (CO2) reacts with ferrihydrite, forming surface carbonate complexes. Hydration influences CO2 reaction pathways, preventing bicarbonate formation on ferrihydrite surfaces.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Surface Chemistry
- Computational Chemistry
Background:
- Ferrihydrite is a common iron oxyhydroxide mineral.
- Understanding CO2 interactions with mineral surfaces is crucial for carbon sequestration and biogeochemical cycles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reaction mechanisms between ferrihydrite and carbon dioxide.
- To identify the types of surface complexes formed and the influence of hydration.
Main Methods:
- Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) for experimental analysis.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for theoretical modeling and interpretation.
Main Results:
- CO2 reacts with ferrihydrite to form surface-adsorbed carbonate species, primarily monodentate binuclear complexes.
- Both inner-sphere and outer-sphere hydrogen-bonded complexes were observed.
- Under dry conditions, a metastable bent CO2 (bicarbonate-like) complex forms on free OH sites.
- Hydration prevents bicarbonate formation, leading to only carbonate species.
Conclusions:
- The reaction pathway of CO2 with ferrihydrite is sensitive to surface hydration conditions.
- Surface carbonate complexes are formed, with hydration favoring stable carbonate over metastable bicarbonate.
- This study provides insights into the fate of CO2 on iron oxide surfaces.
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