In situ observations of silica nanoparticle growth in geothermal brine at the Sumikawa geothermal station, Japan, by dynamic light scattering

Ryo Tamura, Hitoshi Inoue, Eri Hanajima, Risa Ikeda, Yuji Osaka, Takumi Yanaze, Minoru Kusakabe, Kotaro Yonezu, Takushi Yokoyama, Katsuo Tsukamoto, Katsumi Marumo, Akira Ueda*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Silica nanoparticle growth in geothermal brine was examined during the polymerization of silicic acid by observation with dynamic light scattering (DLS) at the Sumikawa geothermal station, examining raw (pH 6.6), pH adjusted (pH 8), and diluted brines (100 to 60%). The monosilicic acid concentration rapidly decreased over time in the raw brine but was almost constant in the samples with lower silicic acid concentrations. The average polysilicic acid particle diameter in the raw brine rapidly increased, from 1 to 6 nm, within 5 min (stage I) and then was almost constant at 7 nm for the subsequent 30 min (stage II).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)304-312
Number of pages9
JournalGeothermics
Volume77
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019/01

Keywords

  • Geothermal
  • Growth
  • Nanoparticle
  • Polymerization
  • Silica

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
  • Geology

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