Dissolution kinetics, step and surface morphology of magnetite (104) surfaces in acidic aqueous solution at 60 degree Celsius by atomic force microscopy under defined hydrodynamic conditions

Dissolution of the (104) surface of magnetite (MgCO3) was studied as a function of bulk solution pH over the range 2.0 less than pH less than 5.0 at 60 degree using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM images revealed a dramatic increase in step density associated with a large increase in dissolution flux that was attributed to the protonation of terrace-adsorbed carbonate sites.