Bio
Ke Yuan is an R&D Research Associate in the Geochemistry and Interfacial Sciences Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Since completing his Ph.D. in earth and environmental sciences at the University of Michigan in 2015, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Interfacial Processes Group at Argonne National Laboratory before joining ORNL. His research focuses on revealing the molecular scale mechanisms of geochemical reactions occurring at mineral-water interfaces by using both experimental and computational methods. His current research interests include heterogeneous nucleation, proton transfer reaction, ion adsorption, and ion pairing by using synchrotron-based X-ray nanotomography, coherent X-ray scattering, and rare-event molecular dynamics simulations.
Professional Experience
2020-present, R&D Research Associate, Geochemistry and Interfacial Science Group, ORNL
2019-2020 Postdoc, Geochemistry & Interfacial Sciences Group, ORNL
2015-2019 Postdoc, Interfacial Processes Group, ANL
Education
Ph.D. 2011-2015 Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
BS/MS 2005-2011 Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Beijing
Professional Service
Membership Assistant, Geochemistry Division, American Chemical Society (2024)
Specialized Equipment
Synchrotron X-ray nanotomography
Coherent X-ray scattering
Surface probe microscopy
Molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations
Publications
Other Publications
Y.J. Kim, B. Abdilla, K. Yuan, V. De Andrade, N.C. Sturchio, S.S. Lee, P. Fenter (2021) Replacement of Calcium Carbonate Polymorphs by Cerussite. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 5 (9), 2433–2441
K. Yuan, V. Starchenko. S. S. Lee, V. D. Andrade, D. Gursoy, N. C. Sturchio, P. Fenter (2019) Mapping three-dimensional dissolution rates of calcite microcrystals: Effects of surface curvature and dissolved metal ions. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 3,5 883-843
K. Yuan, S.S. Lee, W. Cha, A. Ulvestad, H. Kim, B. Abdilla, N.C. Sturchio, P. Fenter (2019) Oxidation induced strain and defects in magnetite crystals. Nature Communications 10, 703
K. Yuan, J. N. Bracco, M. Schmidt, L. Soderholm, P. Fenter, S.S. Lee (2019) Effect of anions on the changes in the structure and adsorption mechanism of zirconium species at the muscovite (001)–water interface. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123,27, 16699-16710
P. Cook, Y.J. Kim, K. Yuan, M.C. Marcano, U. Becker (2019) Electrochemical, spectroscopic, and computational investigations on redox reactions of selenium species on galena surfaces. Minerals 9(7), 437
K. Yuan, S.S. Lee, J. Wang, N.C. Sturchio, P. Fenter (2018) Templating growth of a pseudomorphic lepidocrocite micro-shell at the calcite-water interface. Chemistry of Materials 30(3), 700-707
K. Yuan, V.D. Andrade, Z. Feng, N.C. Sturchio, S.S. Lee, P. Fenter (2018) Pb2+-calcite interactions under far-from-equilibrium conditions: Formation of micro pyramids and pseudomorphic growth of cerussite. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 122, 2238-2247
Y.J. Kim, K. Yuan, B.R. Ellis, U. Becker (2017) Redox reactions of selenium as catalyzed by magnetite: Lessons learnt from using electrochemistry and spectroscopic methods. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 199, 304-323
K. Yuan, S.D. Taylor, B.A. Powell, U. Becker (2017) An ab initio study of the adsorption of Eu3+, Pu3+, Am3+, and Cm3+ hydroxide complexes on hematite (001) surface: Role of magnetism on adsorption. Surface Science 664, 120-128
K. Yuan, S.S. Lee, V.D. Andrade, N.C. Sturchio, P. Fenter (2016) Replacement of calcite (CaCO3) by cerussite (PbCO3). Environmental Science & Technology 50(23): 12984-12991
K. Yuan, E.S. Ilton, M.R. Antonio, Z. Li, P.J. Cook, U. Becker (2015) Electrochemical and spectroscopic evidence on the one‑electron reduction of U(VI) to U(V) on magnetite. Environmental Science & Technology 49, 6206-6213
K. Yuan, D. Renock, R.C. Ewing, U. Becker (2015) Uranium reduction on magnetite: Probing for pentavalent uranium using electrochemical methods. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 156, 194-206.
K. Yuan, R.C. Ewing, U. Becker (2015) Thermodynamic mixing properties of the UO2-HfO2 solid solution: Density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulations. Journal of Nuclear Materials 458, 296-303.
D. Renock, M. Mueller, K. Yuan, R.C. Ewing, U. Becker (2013) The energetics and kinetics of uranyl reduction on pyrite, hematite, and magnetite surfaces: A powder microelectrode study. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 118, 56-71.
S.L. Estes, Y. Arai, U. Becker, S. Fernando, K. Yuan, R.C. Ewing, J.M. Zhang, T. Shibata, B.A. Powell (2013) A self-consistent model describing the thermodynamics of Eu(III) adsorption onto hematite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta122, 430-447.