Reductive dissolution of microparticulate manganese oxides

Abstract

Electrochemical dissolution of immobilised microparticulate Mn(III,IV) oxides in slightly acidic solution (pH 4.4) was found to be a very general reaction, which is responsible for well-defined voltammetric peaks. Dissolution of six Mn(III,IV) oxides is initiated by the reduction of Mn(IV) to Mn(III) in the solid phase, which is followed by a massive dissolution via further reduction of Mn(III) to Mn(II), which finally yields soluble Mn²⁺. The reactivity of manganese oxides depends on their structure: the most reactive are amorphous (δ-MnO₂) and layered structures (birnessite); more resistant toward reductive dissolution are α- and λ-MnO₂ and electrochemical manganese dioxide; and least reactive is β-MnO₂. Reductive dissolution of LiMn₂O₄ resembles that of λ-MnO₂, whereas CaMnO₃ dissolves via a different reaction mechanism.