Development of Nanoelectrophoresis Cell for Studying the Surface Properties of Minerals in Hydrothermal Environments

这项计划的主要目标是开发一种可靠的仪器来确定纳米颗粒在高达350℃的热液条件下的ζ电位。所提出的设计是基于毛细管电泳的流动原理，与高压灭菌技术不同，毛细管电泳避免了实验溶液与细胞材料的长时间接触。此外，该设计将采用一次性组件，这将有助于更换降解材料，以保持系统的效率和精度。在所提出的高温纳米电泳池中，将使用暗场光学显微镜通过耐压蓝宝石窗口观察颗粒。电泳粒子速度将使用连续图像分析或激光多普勒技术来测量。该系统的另一个特别新颖之处是使用高温流过pH传感单元进行现场pH监测。拟议的仪器的实施将大大有助于矿物表面分析技术。这一努力在很大程度上受到地球科学家和环境科学家在地球化学、环境动力学、矿物合成、天然热液系统热力学、异相系统分子建模和地质资源库工程等领域工作的高度兴趣的刺激。高温纳米电泳仪的开发将加强地球科学研究和教育的基础设施。进一步制定环境保护和补救措施，更有效地利用矿藏，以及可能发现地质材料的新用途，将对社会产生益处。

The main goal of this initiative is to develop a reliable instrument for determining the zeta potential of nanoparticles under hydrothermal conditions up to 350oC. The proposed design is based on the flow-through principle applied to capillary electrophoresis, which, unlike autoclave technique, excludes prolonged contact of experimental solution with cell materials. Also the design will employ disposable components, which will facilitate replacement of degraded materials in order to maintain system efficiency and precision. In the proposed high-temperature nanoelectrophoresis cell, the particles will be observed through the pressure-tight sapphire windows using darkfield optical microscopy. The electrophoretic particle velocity will be measured using serial image analysis or the Laser Doppler technique. Another exceptional novelty of the proposed system will be the use of the high-temperature flow-through pH-sensing cell for in-situ pH monitoring. The implementation of the proposed instrument would significantly contribute to the techniques for mineral surface analysis. This effort is largely stimulated by the high interest from geoscientists and environmental scientists working in the areas of geochemistry, environmental kinetics, mineral synthesis, thermodynamics of natural hydrothermal systems, molecular modeling in heterophase systems, and engineering of geo-repositories. Development of the high-temperature nanoelectrophoresis instrument will enhance infrastructure for earth science research and education. Benefits to society will results from the further development of measures for environmental protection and remediation, more efficient use of mineral deposits, and possibly discovery of new applications of geo-materials.