Influence of Cyanide and Thiocyanate on the Formation of Magnetite Synthesized under Prebiotic Chemistry Conditions: Interplay between Surface, Structural, and Magnetic Properties

Understanding the chemical and geological conditions of early Earth is crucial to unraveling the processes that led to the evolution of life. Iron, abundant in the early oceans, likely played a significant role in the evolution of life, particularly in the form of minerals that supported the emergence of the first life forms. This article investigates the catalytic effects of cyanide and thiocyanate ions on magnetite samples synthesized under conditions that simulate the early Earth. Magnetite samples were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fe L₂₃ near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and magnetization measurements. The results reveal variations in elemental composition influenced by synthesis conditions, with cyanide ions promoting the formation of magnetite and seawater and thiocyanate inducing the formation of ferrihydrite and goethite, respectively, along with magnetite. These discoveries enrich our understanding of Earth’s earliest geochemical processes, contribute to new material synthesis routes, and help environmental science.