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The Interaction of Clays with Iron Metal


EMSL Project ID
2114

Abstract

The reduction of certain chlorinated organics can be enhanced using clay (smectite) in association with zero-valent iron relative to the reduction with clay or iron alone (Amonette, J.E. Iron Redox Chemistry of Clays and Oxides: Environmental Applications. Chapter in A. Fitch (ed.) Electrochemistry of Clays, CMS Workshop Lectures (submitted 6 September 2000), Clay Minerals Society, Aurora, CO). We propose to use electrochemistry in combination with surface analysis techniques to determine the mechanism responsible for the enhancement. Iron electrodes will be coated with a clay film. Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) taken with the clay modified electrode will be compared to those taken before and after the clay treatment to determine the products of the corrosion reaction between the clay and iron as well as changes that occur to the iron surface and clay lattice. Preliminary studies have shown that dimples form on the iron surface after the clay treatment. We propose to use scanning electron microscopy as well as scanning Auger spectroscopy, both available at EMSL, to characterize these dimples and determine if they form due to the release of certain ions by the clay film.

Project Details

Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2000-12-06
End Date
2001-12-31
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Barbara Balko
Institution
Lewis and Clark College

Team Members

James Amonette
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory