The effect of zinc sulfide on phase transformations of ferrihydrite

Abstract

The addition of ZnS particles to suspensions of ferrihydrite promotes the formation of the more crystalline phases goethite [α-FeO(OH)] and hematite (α-Fe2O3) at pH ~ 2.3 and 85 °C. This previously undocumented effect appears to arise from surface-mediated reduction of Fe3+ species to Fe2+ with associated dissolution of ZnS.