Surface science studies of environmentally relevant iron (oxy)hydroxides ranging from the nano to the macro-regime

In this prospective, new developments in the study of the structure and reactivity of iron oxyhydroxides are reviewed. These materials are of particular interest, since their surfaces control an extraordinary amount of environmental chemistry. Understanding the environmental interfaces at a molecular level often appears to be a daunting scientific endeavor at first glance. Surfaces of interest range from the nano to micron regime and appear in the environment in varying shapes and sizes. Often the powerful suite of vacuum-based surface science tools are not applicable, since the surfaces of environmental particles can vary from amorphous to semi-crystalline and their surface reactivity is often affected by varying levels of surface hydration. However, the introduction of new and powerful surface probes and advancements in computational chemistry are allowing surface scientists to shed light on these hidden interfaces and how they control environmental chemistry.