Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NanoSiAl (Silica and alumina nanophases – the building blocks for the ground under our feet.)
Período documentado: 2017-05-01 hasta 2019-04-30
Alumina and silica nanophases play a crucial role in rock weathering and their formation and destruction controls Earth’s response to global climate change. The presence of various products of aqueous weathering of aluminosilicates (i.e. dirt under our feet) points to a complex activity of water, and is considered as the geological indication for the occurrence of life-habitable conditions. In this regard, a more complete picture of the water-alumina-silica interactions would allow for better specifying the molecular-level conditions for early life.
Upon weathering the original Al- and Si-containing phases are dissolved at the solid-water interface,undergo hydrolysis and condensation reactions and form new colloidal nanoparticles. However, quantitative and mechanistic
understanding of the underlying processes that lead to the formation and types of Al and Si phases is still lacking, due to the insufficient in situ methodology providing structural information about the colloidal species in solution.
Therefore, the main objective of the NanoSiAl project is to develop, test and validate the methods for the direct in situ and real-time structural and kinetic characterisation of the alumina and silica colloid formation pathways at the length-scale of <100 nm. This is achieved by utilising state-of-the-art synchrotron-based scattering methods: small-angle X-ray scattering, high-energy X-ray diffraction; as well as transmission electron microscopy.
This knowledge can be applied to develop the next generation construction materials (e.g. cements and mortars), which will have a substantially lower carbon footprint in comparison with current technologies.
Upon weathering the original Al- and Si-containing phases are dissolved at the solid-water interface,undergo hydrolysis and condensation reactions and form new colloidal nanoparticles. However, quantitative and mechanistic
understanding of the underlying processes that lead to the formation and types of Al and Si phases is still lacking, due to the insufficient in situ methodology providing structural information about the colloidal species in solution.
Therefore, the main objective of the NanoSiAl project is to develop, test and validate the methods for the direct in situ and real-time structural and kinetic characterisation of the alumina and silica colloid formation pathways at the length-scale of <100 nm. This is achieved by utilising state-of-the-art synchrotron-based scattering methods: small-angle X-ray scattering, high-energy X-ray diffraction; as well as transmission electron microscopy.
This knowledge can be applied to develop the next generation construction materials (e.g. cements and mortars), which will have a substantially lower carbon footprint in comparison with current technologies.
The project involved a number of activities. The work was divided into the following themes:
1. Beamtime. An access to the synchrotron facilities was provided through custom proposals. In total 4 proposals were submitted and granted, which amounted to 336 hours of beamtime at Diamond Light Source over a period of 24 months. Three proposals concerned an access to high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXD), and one small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). All beamtimes were used to study the early stages of nucleation and growth of mineral phases from aqueous solutions.
2. In house experiments and analyses. The core of the preparatory work, as well as the high-resolution electron microscopy analyses was performed at the institute.
3. Software. For the purpose of data analyses from electron microscopy and synchrotron-based scattering data, a number of computer scripts was developed. Some of them are already available through the project website, others are/will be a part of the publications.
4. Outreach. In order to promote the societal impact of the project, several outreach activities tailored for primary school children were organised. On three occasions (2017,2018,2019) children could explore how crystal grow as a part of the Long Night of Science in Berlin and Potsdam. Furthermore, we also held a 1-day workshop for children from grades 1 and 2, attending a local school. This workshop was adjusted to match their school curriculum and concerned different experiments related to fire, as a tool to explore the structure and properties of materials.
5. Proposals. Based on the results of of the project, two proposals were written for the 3rd party funding of the future projects concerning next generation cements. One of the proposals concerned a network involving 14 PhD students (ITN).
6. Publications. The results of the project contributed to 12 already published, and 2 upcoming peer-reviewed articles.
1. Beamtime. An access to the synchrotron facilities was provided through custom proposals. In total 4 proposals were submitted and granted, which amounted to 336 hours of beamtime at Diamond Light Source over a period of 24 months. Three proposals concerned an access to high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXD), and one small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). All beamtimes were used to study the early stages of nucleation and growth of mineral phases from aqueous solutions.
2. In house experiments and analyses. The core of the preparatory work, as well as the high-resolution electron microscopy analyses was performed at the institute.
3. Software. For the purpose of data analyses from electron microscopy and synchrotron-based scattering data, a number of computer scripts was developed. Some of them are already available through the project website, others are/will be a part of the publications.
4. Outreach. In order to promote the societal impact of the project, several outreach activities tailored for primary school children were organised. On three occasions (2017,2018,2019) children could explore how crystal grow as a part of the Long Night of Science in Berlin and Potsdam. Furthermore, we also held a 1-day workshop for children from grades 1 and 2, attending a local school. This workshop was adjusted to match their school curriculum and concerned different experiments related to fire, as a tool to explore the structure and properties of materials.
5. Proposals. Based on the results of of the project, two proposals were written for the 3rd party funding of the future projects concerning next generation cements. One of the proposals concerned a network involving 14 PhD students (ITN).
6. Publications. The results of the project contributed to 12 already published, and 2 upcoming peer-reviewed articles.
The project demonstrated that scattering techniques can provide detailed information about the earliest stages of nucleation and growth of mineral phases. In particular through this research it was possible to determine for the first time in situ the structure of small and metastable inorganic clusters in solution from pair distribution function analysis of the high-energy X-ray diffraction patterns.