Green rust
Green rust is a generic name for various green crystalline chemical compounds containing iron(II) and iron(III) cations, the hydroxide (OH−
) anion, and another anion such as carbonate (CO2−
3), chloride (Cl−
), or sulfate (SO2−
4), in a layered double hydroxide (LDH) structure. The most studied varieties are the following:
- carbonate green rust – GR (CO2−
 3):
 [Fe2+
 4Fe3+
 2(OH−
 )12]2+ · [CO2−
 3·2H
 2O]2−;
- chloride green rust – GR (Cl−
 ):
 [Fe2+
 3Fe3+
 (OH−
 )8]+ · [Cl−
 ·nH
 2O]−;
- sulfate green rust – GR (SO2−
 4):
 [Fe2+
 4Fe3+
 2(OH−
 )12]2+ · [SO2−
 4·2H
 2O]2−.
Other varieties reported in the literature are bromide Br−
, fluoride F−
, iodide I−
, nitrate NO−
3, and selenate SeO2−4.
Green rust was first recognized as a corrosion crust on iron and steel surfaces. It occurs in nature as the mineral fougerite.