The observation and description of surface proximity effects, whereby the chemical reaction of one surface site influences the electronic structure and reactivity of neighboring or nearby sites, is presented in this study for semiconducting minerals pyrite (FeS2) and galena (PbS) using ab initio molecular orbital calculations as well as scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Surface complexation theory, an important model for attachment/detachment reactions at mineral-water interfaces, will eventually need to be modified to include the influence of proximity effects.
Revised: April 6, 2017 |
Published: July 1, 2001
Citation
Becker U., K.M. Rosso, and M.F. Hochella. 2001.The Proximity Effect on Semiconducting Mineral Surfaces: A new aspect of Mineral Surface Reactivity and Surface Complexation Theory?.Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 65, no. 16:2641-2649.PNNL-SA-32461.