Division/Committee: [GEOC] Division of Geochemistry

Nanoconfinement by interfaces is common in natural systems (soils, sedimentary rocks, and the atmosphere) and in industrial applications (nanocatalysis, water filtration). Nanoconfined systems are characterized by high surface-to-water ratios, overlapping electrical double layers from opposing surfaces, and sometimes by interfacial terminations that include gasses or supercritical fluids. Nanoconfined water is highly ordered and rotationally restricted due to interactions with solid surfaces, leading to relatively low dielectric response. The structure of nanoconfined water impacts mass transport and hydration structures of dissolved and surface-bound species. Because of the distinct properties of nanoconfined water, energetics and reaction pathways at nanoconfined surfaces are non-trivial and distinct from bulk (non-confined) solid-water interfaces. Nanoconfinement effects on interfacial chemistry are critical to separation science, energy generation, carbon storage, nuclear waste disposal, and climate modeling; however, detailed fundamental explanations for the unique reactivity of nanoconfined surfaces remain elusive. We invite contributions on solid-water interfacial chemistry under nanoconfinement. A mechanistic and conceptual understanding of the key factors controlling reactivity in nanoconfined aqueous solutions requires an integrated approach, and both experimental and computational studies are encouraged. The topics to be covered in this session include, but are not limited to: properties of water under nanoconfinement interfacial reactivity at nanoconfined surfaces and in nanopores mass transport in nanopores and nano-scale water films nanoconfinement effects on electron transfer nanoconfinement phenomena that can be traced to the field-scale dissolution, nucleation, and crystal growth under nanoconfinement nanoconfinement effects on thermodynamics and kinetics novel experimental and computational methods for studying nanoconfined surfaces

John Loring

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

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