(Phys.org)—To slide into nano-sized openings inside minerals, certain metals shed layers of water, according to the NISE (pronounced “nice”) theory, first published in 2011 by Dr. Cristian Schulthess and his colleagues. Recently, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory worked with Schulthess and his student Dan Ferreira to test the NISE theory. Ferreira traveled to PNNL, where he was assisted by Dr. Eric Walter and Dr. James Amonette in the use of a specialized instrument at EMSL that measures key aspects of a metal’s behavior. They compared the reactions of manganese and copper ions with three different-sized pores in zeolite, a common type of mineral. Artwork from this study graced the cover of Clays and Clay Minerals. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Phys.org