Initial chemical and structural information about the molecular environment of nickel in fossil fuels by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The results of the first XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) and EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) investigations of the nickel sites in two crude oil residues and oil shale oil extract will be reported. These studies suggest that the nickel environments in the three hydrocarbon samples are similar, at least in terms of the number (four), identity (nitrogen), and geometry (square planar) of the nearest neighbors about the divalent nickel ions.