Interfacial water structure and the wetting of mineral surfaces

Advanced tools, including atomic force microscopy (AFM), sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS), and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), are being used to describe interfacial water structure and to contrast the structure of water at a hydrophilic mineral surface with that at a hydrophobic mineral surface. Specifically, this contrast is revealed from interfacial water features based on the extent of H-bonding, dipole orientation, exclusion zone thickness, and residence time. Progress in our understanding of interfacial water structure and wetting phenomena is reported for different mineral classes including sulfides, oxides/hydroxides, layered silicates (phyllosilicates), and salt-type minerals, including both semi-soluble and soluble salts.