Sorption of nickel and cobalt ions onto cobalt and nickel ferrites.

The corrosion of the metal parts in the primary circuit of pressurized water reactors leads to the release of colloidal particles (NiFe(2)O(4), CoFe(2)O(4), NiO, Ni...) and ionic species (Co, Ni, Cr...). Particles can interact with ionic species in the primary medium, contributing to their transport and to their deposition onto surfaces outside the neutron flux generating radioactive contamination. Sorption and zetametry experiments at 25 °C were performed on the Ni(2+)/CoFe(2)O(4) and Co(2+)/NiFe(2)O(4) systems in order to determine the behaviour of corrosion products in the fluid of the primary circuit. Sorption appears as surface complexation starting from pH 6 and is followed by precipitation of hydroxide above pH 7.5. Complexation and solubility constants were obtained from the modelling of sorption curves. The two oxide systems present a very similar sorption behaviour, but some differences, due to their different isoelectric points, could be observed on zetametric measurements.

Characterization of acid-base properties of two gibbsite samples in the context of literature results.

Two different gibbsites, one commercial and one synthesized according to a frequently applied recipe, were studied in an interlaboratory attempt to gain insight into the origin of widely differing reports on gibbsite acid-base surface properties. In addition to a thorough characterization of the two solids, several methods relevant to the interfacial charging were applied to the two samples: potentiometric titrations to obtain the "apparent" proton related surface charge density, zeta-potential measurements characterizing the potential at the plane of shear, and Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-IR) to obtain information on the variation of counter-ion adsorption with pH (using nitrate as a probe). Values of the IEP at 9-10 and 11.2-11.3 were found for the commercial and synthesized sample, respectively. The experimental observations revealed huge differences in the charging behavior between the two samples. Such differences also appeared in the titration kinetics. A detailed literature review revealed similar disparity with no apparent systematic trend. While previously the waiting time between additions had been advocated to explain such differences among synthesized samples, our results do not support such a conclusion. Instead, we find that the amount of titrant added in each aliquot appears to have a significant influence on the titration curves. While we can relate a number of observations to others, a number of open questions and contradictions remain. We suggest various processes, which can explain the observed behavior.

Influence of temperature and reducing conditions on the sorption of sulfate on magnetite.

The reactivity of aqueous sulfate toward magnetite was studied between 50 and 275 °C as a function of pH and the redox conditions. Under oxidizing conditions, we did not observe redox reactions and the sorption of aqueous sulfate is promoted under acidic conditions when the magnetite surface is positively charged. The effect of temperature on this retention is moderate but complex. From 50 to 125 °C the sorption edge is shifted toward low pH values, according to the variation of the point of zero charge. Above 125 °C, the effect of temperature is inverted, leading to a shift to basic pH values and an increase of the sorbed quantity. This inversion of the temperature effect is interpreted as related to changes in the nature of the complexes formed, correlated to the evolution of speciation of dissolved S(VI) species. Under reducing conditions (2bar hydrogen), sulfate is involved in redox reactions, likely as a consequence of the catalytic effect of the sorption that enhances the H(2)-sulfate reaction, producing sulfides in the gaseous, liquid, and solid phases. However, this effect is better evidenced at 125 °C than at 275 °C, illustrating the importance of surface speciation, assumed to change with temperature.

Sorption of sulfate ions onto magnetite.

In order to acquire data necessary to understand and predict the behavior of oxide particles in the secondary circuits of pressurized water reactors (PWR) and study the role of redox and interface reactions, the acid-base properties of magnetite and sorption of sulfate ions were studied at 25 degrees C. Redox reactions with magnetite predicted from thermodynamic data were not observed and sulfur species always remain as sulfate. From zetametric measurements, mass titrations and acid-base titrations an IEP at 6.7 and a PZC at 6.2 were found. Acid-base experimental data were modeled in the 2pK surface complexation model in CCM or BSM. Sulfate sorption increase with decreasing pH is typical for anionic species on oxides. For the modeling of sorption data, the choice of surface species was guided by the slope of the sorption curves and by the evolution of zeta potential. In the proposed model, sulfate ions are sorbed essentially as outer-sphere complexes, with a partial sorption as a neutral bidentate inner-sphere complex below pH 5.

Effect of the adsorption of lithium and borate species on the zeta potential of particles of cobalt ferrite, nickel ferrite, and magnetite.

Zetametric measurements on suspensions of oxide particles (cobalt ferrite, nickel ferrite, and magnetite) representative of corrosion products from primary circuits of pressurized water reactors were performed at 25 and 70 degrees C in the presence of lithium and borate species. No effect of lithium ions was observed. Borate species cause a decrease of the isoelectric point (IEP), attributed to the sorption of borate as a negative complex MOB(OH)3(-). A predictive model based on thermodynamic calculations (2-pK and diffuse layer models) of the surface acidity constants from the data of acid-base titrations combined with an empirical relationship between the surface potential Psi 0 and the zeta potential determined by zetametry was developed. A whole set of parameters valid at 25 degrees C, in a range of ionic strength between 10(-4) and 10(-2) molL(-1) and in a range of pH between 4 and 8, was determined for this model. Increase of temperature to 70 degrees C in the presence of borate results in a decrease of IEP for cobalt ferrite and an increase of the IEP for nickel ferrite.

Sorption of uranyl ions on titanium oxide studied by ATR-IR spectroscopy.

ATR-IR spectroscopy was used to study the sorption of uranyl ions (10(-4) M) onto titanium oxide (mixture of rutile and anatase). A circulation setup, filled with a solution in D(2)O, allowed recording of the evolution of the antisymmetric O=U=O stretching of uranyl species onto titanium oxide particles deposited on the ATR crystal. The band centered at 915 cm(-1) has been decomposed in two Gaussian peaks at 920 and 905 cm(-1). From these values, and the observation that the ratio of the areas of the two peaks vs pH was constant, we have proposed that uranyl sorption on titanium oxide in the pH range 4-7 leads to the formation of one surface complex where uranium atoms have two different chemical environments. A trimer surface complex linked by two uranium atoms to the titanium oxide surface would be consistent with this interpretation.

Influence of kinetics on the determination of the surface reactivity of oxide suspensions by acid-base titration.

The effect of acid-base titration protocol and speed on pH measurement and surface charge calculation was studied on suspensions of gamma-alumina, hematite, goethite, and silica, whose size and porosity have been well characterized. The titration protocol has an important effect on surface charge calculation as well as on acid-base constants obtained by fitting of the titration curves. Variations of pH versus time after addition of acid or base to the suspension were interpreted as diffusion processes. Resulting apparent diffusion coefficients depend on the nature of the oxide and on its porosity.

Sorption of selenite ions on hematite.

The sorption of selenite from aqueous solutions onto hematite was investigated as a function of pH (2-12), ionic strength (0.01-0.1 M), and concentration of selenium (10(-7)-10(-2) M). The sorption may proceed according to two processes: surface complexation, followed by the precipitation of ferric selenite starting at approximate [Se] = 4 x 10(-4) M (surface coverage>ca. 2 at nm(-2)). The sorption isotherms have been fitted by a Tempkin equation. A surface complexation model (2-pK/Constant Capacitance Model) was used to fit the sorption data. The nature of the surface species of selenite cannot be determined by modeling since monodentate >FeOSe(O)O- or >FeOSe(O)OH and bidentate (>FeO)2SeO surface complexes are both able to fit the experimental data. The reversibility and kinetics of sorption were also studied. The affinity of selenite ions toward hematite, expressed as the distribution coefficient with respect to the surface area (K(D) in L m(-2)), was compared with results published for other ferric oxides (goethite and amorphous ferric oxide). It was found that the reactivity toward selenite is similar, contrary to acid-base properties which depend on the nature of the oxide and its level of purity.

Study of uranyl sorption onto hematite by in situ attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy.

In this paper, we present results of ATR-IR spectroscopy of uranyl complexes adsorbed on hematite. This method allowed the in situ recording of infrared spectra of uranyl sorbed on hematite in presence of aqueous solution and to detect one peak at 906 cm(-1) attributed to the antisymmetric O=U=O stretching. The intensity of the peak increases with pH, but its shape does not evolve, indicating that the same surface species is responsible for the sorption in the pH range 5-8. The reversibility experiments confirm that the hematite deposit reacts in the same way as dispersed suspensions. Measurement of the stretching frequency of nitrate ions coming from electrolyte showed a pure electrostatic adsorption and exclude the formation of a ternary complex with uranyl.

Effect of solubility on the determination of the protonable surface site density of oxyhydroxides.

The impact of the dissolved quantity of aluminum on the calculation of surface charge from titration experiments of hydrated gamma-alumina was investigated. Two methods were developed to correct this effect: direct determination of aluminum in solution in batch titration experiments and application of a dissolution rate model in continuous titration experiments. There is a large effect of dissolution on surface charge determination for pH>10 and pH < 4.5. Application of these correction methods to these pH ranges lead to apparent saturation surface charges of 1.3 and 2.3 at nm(-2), respectively. The last value seems to be the real proton-active site density, while the hydroxyl-active site density cannot be reached for easily achievable basic pH values.

Morphology of RuO2-TiO2 coatings and TEM characterization of oxide sols used for their preparation.

Characterization of RuO(2) and TiO(2) sols of different aging times, obtained by forced hydrolysis of appropriate chloride salts, was performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The aging time of TiO(2) sols was observed to affect the size of particles as well as the crystallinity of the solid phase of the sols. The surface morphology of RuO(2)-TiO(2) coatings on titanium, obtained by the sol-gel procedure using TiO(2) sols of different aging times and RuO(2) sol of fixed aging time, was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at three different scan sizes. The STM data indicated uniform microdistribution of the coating material (small microroughness) and an increase in nanoroughness with the aging time of the TiO(2) sol. The observed increase in real coating surface area with increasing TiO(2) particle size confirms the earlier cyclic voltammetry results.

Sorption of Selenite (SeO(3)(2-)) on Hydroxyapatite: An Exchange Process.

The sorption of SeO(3)(2-) on hydroxyapatite surface was investigated in batch experiments over a range of pH and SeO(3)(2-) concentrations in the absence and presence of additional Ca and PO(4). The sorption is pH dependent with a maximum observed at pH values generally encountered in natural waters. While the presence of phosphate lowers SeO(3)(2-) sorption by direct competition, the presence of calcium enhances it. In order to identify the mechanism of sorption and the nature of the surface sites, microscopic observation and spectroscopic methods such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used. Surface complexation, coprecipitation, and precipitation processes were ruled out. Localization of sorbed selenium in the crystallographic sites where phosphorus is normally located shows that selenite is sorbed on the apatite by an anionic exchange with phosphate groups. Although the exact equilibria involved could not be established, the stoichiometry of the exchange is close to 1 : 1. According to kinetics experiments and X-ray diffraction analyses, it seems that selenium is not exclusively located at the surface but diffuses slightly in a thickness of a few nanometers. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

A study of strontium binding to albumins, by a chromatographic method involving atomic emission spectrometric detection.

A chromatographic method involving ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry) detection has been successfully applied for the study of strontium-protein complexes. The chromatographic step involves the use of gel filtration-a large-zone Hummel and Dreyer method-which allows to dissociate the bound metallic ions and the free ones. This step is followed by an ICP-AES analysis of fractions collected throughout the chromatographic experiment: the concentration of ionic metallic species in solution can therefore be calculated. Two proteins have been tested: bovine serum albumin, which showed only weak interactions with Sr2+ ions, and bovine alpha-lactalbumin: this protein, well-known for its calcium binding capacity, proved to interact strongly with strontium. The influence of various parameters on the formation of strontium-lactalbumin complexes were determined, namely temperature, pH. Competition experiments between Sr2+ ions and, respectively Na+ and Ca2+ ions were also performed, by varying ionic strength of the medium, and by using both apo and native forms of bovine alpha-lactalbumin.

Characterization of the Sorption of Europium(III) on Calcite by Site-Selective and Time-Resolved Luminescence Spectroscopy

Sorption of europium(III) on calcite from aqueous solution was investigated by kinetics and sorption isotherms at 323 K and by site-selective and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy at 15 K. Three sorption sites (A, B, C) were characterized by this last technique. B constitutes a major family which appears in all samples with sorbed Eu and is characterized by an environment involving water or hydroxyl ions. The C family is observed only for the highest Eu concentrations. In these sites, the environment is more hydrated than in sites B. Site A constitutes a minority but appears in all samples. It corresponds to the centrosymmetric structural Ca site of calcite in position 2b, thus demonstrating that sorbed Eu(III) can substitute for Ca in calcite. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Chromatographic method involving inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric detection for the study of metal-protein complexes.

A chromatographic method has been used to study metal ion-protein complexes. It involves successively a gel filtration technique to separate and distinguish the complexed from the free metallic ions, and a spectrometric technique, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), which allows us to calculate accurately the concentration of ionic metallic species in solution. In the chromatographic step, we applied a large-zone Hummel and Dreyer method. Thus, fractions can be collected throughout the chromatographic experiment and their metal concentration measured by ICP-AES, at constant and known protein concentration. This method has been tested on the copper complex of bovine serum albumin. Results of our study are in good agreement with previous studies on this complex.

Compositions and structures of copper hexacyanoferrates(II) and (III): experimental results.

The preparation, composition and structure of copper hexacyanoferrates have been investigated. Three methods were used: precipitation, local growth in an aqueous solution, and growth in a gel. Four compounds were obtained, either in powdered form or as single crystals: Cu(II)(2)Fe(II)(CN)(6) . xH(2)O, Cu(II)(3)[Fe(III)(CN)(6)](2) . xH(2)O, Na(2)Cu(II)Fe(II)(CN)(6) . 10H(2)O and K(2)Cu(II)Fe(II)(CN)(6). Powders of Cu(II)(2)Fe(II)(CN)(6) . xH(2)O and Cu(II)(3)[Fe(III) (CN)(6)](2) . xH(2)O are easily prepared by precipitation and can also be obtained by local growth. They crystallise generally with cubic symmetry, in space group Fm3m, and are structurally disordered. The mixed copper hexacyanoferrates of general formulae M(1)(2)Cu(II)Fe(II)(CN)(6) or M(I)Cu(II)Fe(III)(CN)(6) (here M(I) is Na, K) were not obtained by precipitation. The appropriate method was local growth for the preparation of powders of K(2)Cu(II)Fe(II)(CN)(6). Single crystals of Na(2)Cu(II)Fe(II)(CN)(6) were obtained by growth in a gel, and their study using single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed a new monoclinic structure.

Copper hexacyanoferrates: Preparation, composition and structure.

A review on the chemistry of copper hexacyanoferrates during the period 1933-1993 with an emphasis on their compositions and structures in relation to the methods of preparation.

Preparation, composition and structure of some nickel and zinc ferrocyanides: Experimental results.

Several methods have been used for preparation of nickel and zinc ferrocyanides: precipitation, growth in a gel and a new method based on growth on a solid alkali-metal ferrocyanide. The granulometry, morphology, composition and structure of the compounds were studied. Only the last method of preparation gives products suitable for use as ion fixators in columns on a large scale. The nickel ferrocyanide compositions can be written as M(I)(2x)Ni(2-x)Fe(CN)(6).yH(2)O with M(I) Na, K, Cs, H and 0 < x < 0.8. They have a cubic lattice with a partial occupancy of iron sites. For zinc ferrocyanides, rhombohedral M(I)(2)Zn(3)[Fe(CN)(6)](2).xH(2)O, trigonal Zn(2)Fe(Cn)(6).2H(2)O and other cubic compounds were found. Products resulting from the fixation of caesium by ion-exchange were also studied.

Zinc and nickel ferrocyanides: preparation, composition and structure.

A review is given of work on nickel and zinc ferrocyanides during the period 1922-1983 with an emphasis on their compositions and structures in relation to the methods of preparation.

Behaviour of trace impurities during chemical dissolution of a metal: Platinum elements in aluminium and nickel.

In order to study the behaviour of trace impurities during aqueous dissolution of a sample, aluminium and nickel-based alloys containing 10(-4)-1% Ir, Os or Ru were used. Yields of chemical separations such as distillation and ion-exchange were chosen as dissolution criteria. Dissolution of aluminium samples leads to precipitation of the three impurities. The Os and Ru precipitates can afterwards be dissolved by an oxidation procedure, in contrast to commercial powders of these elements. This behaviour may be explained in terms of the small grain-size of the precipitates. The indium precipitates cannot be dissolved, which prevents quantitative separation of this element from an aluminium matrix. In the case of nickel alloys, these three impurities are dissolved and can be quantitatively separated.