Dissolution kinetics of iron sulfide minerals in alkaline solutions

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Li, Zhanzhao, Gorski, Christopher A., Thompson, Aaron, Shallenberger, Jeffrey R., Kaladharan, Gopakumar, Radlińska, Aleksandra
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866916650226286592
author Li, Zhanzhao
Gorski, Christopher A.
Thompson, Aaron
Shallenberger, Jeffrey R.
Kaladharan, Gopakumar
Radlińska, Aleksandra
author_facet Li, Zhanzhao
Gorski, Christopher A.
Thompson, Aaron
Shallenberger, Jeffrey R.
Kaladharan, Gopakumar
Radlińska, Aleksandra
contents Deleterious aggregate reactions induced by iron sulfide minerals, especially pyrrhotite and pyrite, have devastated concrete structures across many global regions. While these minerals have been extensively studied under acidic conditions, their behavior in alkaline environments, such as concrete, remains poorly understood. This study investigates the kinetics and mechanisms of iron sulfide dissolution at high pH (13$\unicode{x2013}$14). Results revealed that pyrrhotite dissolves orders of magnitude more rapidly than pyrite, with dissolution rates increasing with both pH and temperature. The type of alkali (potassium or sodium) in the solution was not found to affect the dissolution behavior. Kinetic modeling and experimental characterization indicated that the dissolution kinetics of pyrrhotite is controlled by a combination of chemical reactions (oxidation of iron and sulfur species) and diffusion (through an Fe(III)-(oxy)hydroxide layer). These findings provide practical insights into controlling dissolution and mitigating iron sulfide-induced damage in concrete.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_08763
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Dissolution kinetics of iron sulfide minerals in alkaline solutions
Li, Zhanzhao
Gorski, Christopher A.
Thompson, Aaron
Shallenberger, Jeffrey R.
Kaladharan, Gopakumar
Radlińska, Aleksandra
Materials Science
Deleterious aggregate reactions induced by iron sulfide minerals, especially pyrrhotite and pyrite, have devastated concrete structures across many global regions. While these minerals have been extensively studied under acidic conditions, their behavior in alkaline environments, such as concrete, remains poorly understood. This study investigates the kinetics and mechanisms of iron sulfide dissolution at high pH (13$\unicode{x2013}$14). Results revealed that pyrrhotite dissolves orders of magnitude more rapidly than pyrite, with dissolution rates increasing with both pH and temperature. The type of alkali (potassium or sodium) in the solution was not found to affect the dissolution behavior. Kinetic modeling and experimental characterization indicated that the dissolution kinetics of pyrrhotite is controlled by a combination of chemical reactions (oxidation of iron and sulfur species) and diffusion (through an Fe(III)-(oxy)hydroxide layer). These findings provide practical insights into controlling dissolution and mitigating iron sulfide-induced damage in concrete.
title Dissolution kinetics of iron sulfide minerals in alkaline solutions
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.08763