Rates of manganese oxidation in aqueous systems

The rate of crystal growth of Mn₃O₄ (hausmannite) and βMnOOH (feitknechtite) in aerated aqueous manganous perchlorate systems, near 0.01 M in total manganese, was determined at pH levels ranging from 7.00 to 9.00 and at temperatures from 0.5 to 37.4°C. The process is autocatalytic, but becomes psuedo first-order in dissolved Mn²⁺ activity when the amount of precipitate surface is large compared to the amount of unreacted manganese. Reaction rates determined by titrations using an automated pH-stat were fitted to an equation for precipitate growth. The rates are proportional to surface area of oxide and degree of supersaturation with respect to Mn²⁺. The oxide obtained at the higher temperature was Mn₃O₄, but at 0.5° C only βMnOOH was formed. At intermediate temperatures, mixtures of these solids were formed. The rate of precipitation of hausmannite is strongly influenced by temperature, and that of feitknechtite much less so. The difference in activation energy may be related to differences in crystal structure of the oxides and the geometry of polymeric hydroxy ion precursors.