Author Identifier (ORCID)
Stefan Iglauer: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8080-1590
Alireza Keshavarz: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8091-961X
Abstract
Microbial activity plays a significant role in subsurface hydrogen behavior, with implications for underground storage and natural hydrogen systems. This study examines how microbial processes influence the wettability and solid–liquid interfacial characteristics of key subsurface minerals, calcite, dolomite, quartz, and gypsum, in hydrogen-brine-rock systems under realistic subsurface conditions. Wettability directly affects hydrogen distribution, flow dynamics, and trapping, making it a critical factor for both storage and natural recovery applications. Experiments were conducted under high-pressure, high-temperature conditions, with SEM/EDS analysis used to characterize interfacial modifications and mineral surface changes across three scenarios: clean, organic acid-aged, and microbial-aged. Microbial aging consistently increased mineral hydrophilicity, reducing advancing contact angles, such as from 57° (clean) to 40° (microbial-aged) on calcite at 50 °C and 8 MPa. Similar trends were observed for dolomite, with smaller changes for quartz and gypsum. Microbial biofilms were most prominent on calcite and dolomite surfaces, accompanied by decreases in brine pH (e.g., from 7.4 to 5.2 for calcite). These results reveal how microbial processes reshape mineral properties and hydrogen behavior in the subsurface. This study provides critical insights into microbial-mineral interactions, offering valuable guidance for optimizing hydrogen storage and natural hydrogen recovery systems.
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
12-1-2025
Volume
346
Publication Title
Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Engineering
Funders
Australian Research Council
Grant Number
ARC Number : DP220102907
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Esfandyari, H., Jozani, R. J., Hassanpouryouzband, A., Hemmatzadeh, F., Haghighi, M., Iglauer, S., Keshavarz, A., & Zeinijahromi, A. (2025). The microbial factor in subsurface hydrogen behavior: Implications for wettability and interfacial dynamics. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 346, 103647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2025.103647