Our team explores the interaction of water with insulating surfaces, including natural silicate minerals such as micas and feldspars. The experiments focus adsorption studies in ultrahigh vacuum. We strive to gain atomistic insights into the fundamental processes underlying the mineral-water interaction, such as ion hydration, ice nucleation, and carbonation reactions. Our tools of choice are nc-AFM and XPS.
Resolving the intrinsic short-range ordering of K+ ions on cleaved muscovite mica, Nat. Commun. 14, 208 (2023).