Heterogeneous nucleation

While previous studies have shown the formation of only layer structured Mn oxide with slow kinetics in laboratory, we found how natural Mn oxides can ubiquitously occur rapidly with various structures via crystal nucleation and growth at mineral (e.g., Fe oxide, TiO2 or quartz)-water interfaces. Furthermore, the novel findings showed that a conventional Eh-pH diagram does not reflect the fate of Mn occurring at mineral-water interfaces, where most reactions occur in practical environmental and engineered systems. Therefore, fundamental understanding of dissolution and crystallization of Mn oxides at mineral-water interfaces will provide pathways not only to suppress the dissolution, but also to control the elevated concentration of Mn2+(aq) by precipitation before it is consumed.