Designer particles stand in for layers of subsurface minerals
Friday, September 28, 2012 - 09:31
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org)—To understand how underground pollutants react with magnetite and other minerals, scientists need an easy-to-use mineral stand-in. An international team led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory created analogous particles with precisely tuned amounts of relatively reactive iron, or Fe(II), and less reactive iron, Fe(III), to match natural conditions. Tuning this Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio dials in the desired amount of iron reactivity. To test their process, the team created tiny iron oxide spheres similar to magnetite, except with titanium added to control the Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio directly.