Quartz and silica are common materials,
and their dissolution is
of significant interest to a wide range of scientists. The kinetics
of the dissolution of quartz and silica have been measured extensively,
yet no clear theory of dissolution is available. A novel theory of
dissolution and crystallization has recently been proposed that envisages
the removal of material from the surface to form ions in solution
leaving behind a charged surface vacancy. These vacancies create a
potential difference across the Stern layer that accelerates or retards
the removal of ions. In this way, the surface potential difference
is caused by and influences the rate of the removal of ions. From
this theory, a model of quartz dissolution is derived that predicts
the observed orders of reaction. This prediction of the orders of
reaction fits a data set consisting of 285 experiments. The model
also describes the effect of Na
+
, K
+
, and Li
+
ions, as well as the effect of heavy water. A significant
component of the model is its ability to describe the zeta potential
of the quartz–water interface. The model successfully predicts
a transient period at the beginning of the reaction when the rate
could either increase or decrease.
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