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Iron takes full ten rounds to destroy toxin

Novel Fe-C Intermediates explain products from Fe(0) + CCl4 reaction

ENovel Fe-C Intermediates explain products

from Fe(0) + CCl4 reaction

Previously thought to be a simple reaction, experimental scientists and theoreticians at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that tiny iron particles instigate a complex series of reactions that turn carbon tetrachloride into harmless chemicals. Using  "atom dropping" experiments at DOE’s EMSL, a delicate and time-consuming process, the experimental team reacted iron clusters and carbon tetrachloride under ideal conditions, measuring the dependence of products on cluster size, concentration, and temperature. Then, the theoretical team modeled the reactions to identify 10 intermediate molecules that help explain how the products form. This research provides early insights into the effectiveness of nanosized iron particles and sets the stage for studies of oxide-coated particles that more closely mimic the situations at hundreds of U.S. sites.

[Kristin Manke, 509.372.6011,
kristin.manke@pnl.gov]