Exchange Reactions at Mineral Interfaces

Exchange reactions are a family of chemical reactions that appear when mineral surfaces come into contact with protic solvents. Exchange reactions can also be understood as a unique interaction at mineral interfaces. Particularly significant interactions occurring at mineral surfaces are those with water and CO2. The rather complex process occurring when minerals such as calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) phases come into contact with aqueous environments is referred to as a metal–proton exchange reaction (MPER). This process leads to the leaching of calcium ions from the near-surface region, the first step in the corrosion of cement-bound materials. Among the various corrosion reactions of C–S–H phases, the MPER appears to be the most important one. A promising approach to bridging certain problems caused by MPER and carbonation is the passivation of C–S–H surfaces. Today, such passivation is reached, for instance, by the functionalization of C–S–H surfaces with water-repelling organic films. Unfortunately, these organic films are weak against temperature and especially weak against abrasion. Exchange reactions at mineral interfaces allow the preparation of intrinsic, hydrophobic surfaces of C–S–H phases just at room temperature via a metal–metal exchange reaction.