PNNL

Abstract

The temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of weakly-bound, hydrogen-bonded and metal-bonded oxalate complexes at the goethite surface was investigated in the 300-900 K range with concerted Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) measurements (TPD-FTIR). These reactions took place with the concomitant dehydroxylation reaction of goethite to hematite and decarbonation of bulk-occluded carbonate. The measurements revealed three important stages of desorption. Stage I (300-440 K) corresponds to the desorption of weakly-and/or un-bound oxalate molecules in the goethite powder with a thermal decomposition reaction pathway characteristic of oxalic acid. Stage II (440-520 K) corresponds to a thermally-driven dehydration of hydrogen-bonded surface complexes, leading to a partial desorption via oxalic acid thermal decomposition pathways and to a partial conversion to metal-bonded surface complexes. This latter mechanism led to the increase in FTIR bands characteristic of these complexes. Finally, Stage III (520-660 K) corresponds to the thermal decomposition of the metal-bonded oxalate complex, proceeding through a 2 electron reduction pathway.