Mechanochemical dissociation of calcium carbonate: laboratory data and relation to natural emissions of CO2

Abstract This paper investigates the possible role of mechanochemical CO 2 production due to stimulation from the action of friction on calcite. This experimentation has two objectives: firstly, to obtain information on the effect of the mechanical disassociation of carbon dioxide from the carbonates and, secondly, to simulate the conditions that may arise during a tectonic action. The action of disassociation has been observed on pure calcium carbonate from analyses ground at different times in a ring-roller mill. The ring-roller mill is a grinding system that mainly works through friction and, to a lesser extent, by non-hydrostatic compression. It has been observed that the grinding action determines an abundant release of carbon dioxide, with a non-linear trend that emulates the trend in the decrease in crystallinity. This indicates a close connection between crystallinity and the dissociation of carbonate. The Authors hypothesize a carbon dioxide release mechanism linked to the factures induced by the friction and the increase in the structural disorder induced in the lattice by the plastic sliding. This mechanism could play an important role in the natural release of CO 2 , along with the other carbon dioxide sources that are already known of.