The solubility of magnetite and the hydrolysis and oxidation of Fe2+ in water to 300°C

The solubility of carefully characterized magnetite, Fe₃O₄, in dilute aqueous solutions saturated with H₂ has been measured at temperatures from 100 to 300°C in a flow apparatus. Solution compositions included either HCl or NaOH molalities of up to 1 and 40 mmole-kg^?1, respectively, and H₂ molalities of 0.0779, 0.779, and 8.57 mmole-kg^?1. The dependence of the equilibrium solubility on the pH and reduction potential were fitted to a scheme of soluble ferrous and ferric species consisting of Fe²⁺, FeOH⁺, Fe(OH)₂, Fe(OH) ₃ ^? , Fe(OH)₃, and Fe(OH) ₄ ^? . Solubility products from the fit, corresponding to the reactions $$\tfrac{1}{3}Fe_3 O_4 + (2 - b)H^ + + \tfrac{1}{3}H_2 \rightleftharpoons Fe(OH)_b^{2 - b} + (4/3 - b)H_2 O$$ and $$\tfrac{1}{3}Fe_3 O_4 + (3 - b)H^ + \rightleftharpoons Fe(OH)_b^{3 - b} + \tfrac{1}{6}H_2 + (4/3 - b)H_2 O$$ were used to derive thermodynamic constants for each species. The extrapolared value for the Gibbs energy of formation of Fe²⁺ at 25°C is ?88.92±2.0 kJ-mole^?1, consistent with standard reduction potentials in the range E^o(Fe²⁺)=?0.47±0.01 V. The temperature coefficient of the equilibrium Fe molality, (?m(Fe, sat.)/?T)_{m(H2).m(NaOH)}, changes from negative to positive as the NaOH molality is increased to the point where Fe(OH) ₃ ^? and Fe(OH) ₄ ^? predominate.