Chemical effects induced by the mechanical processing of granite powder

Starting from 1970s, the use of mechanical forces to induce chemical transformations has radically changed vast areas of metallurgy and materials science. More recently, mechanochemistry has expanded to core sectors of chemistry, showing the promise to deeply innovate chemical industry while enhancing its sustainability and competitiveness. We are still far, however, from unveiling the full potential of mechanical activation. This study marks a step forward in this direction focusing on the chemical effects induced on the surrounding gaseous phase by the mechanical processing of granite. We show that fracturing granite blocks in oxygen can result in the generation of ozone. The refinement of coarse granite particles and the friction between fine ones are also effective in this regard. Combining experimental evidence related to the crushing of large granite samples by uniaxial compression and the ball milling of coarse and fine granite powders, we develop a model that relates mechanochemical ozone generation to the surface area effectively affected by fracture and frictional events taking place during individual impacts. We also extend the investigation to gaseous phases involving methane, oxygen, benzene and water, revealing that chemical transformations occur as well.