Sorption and fixation of Cs by the upland soils of the US Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS) have been attributed to micaceous grains consisting mostly of hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite (HIV). Results of experiments to characterize SRS soil samples, to examine aspects of their radiocesium sorption, and to determine how much of their natural Cs is accessible for chemical extraction and isotope dilution are presented in support of mechanistic hypotheses to explain Cs sorption and fixation in HIV grains. The HIV is responsible for most of the soil cation exchange capacity, and concentrations of naturally occurring Cs, Rb, and K in soil samples are closely related to the concentration of HIV. Experiments with 137Cs to examine (1) sorption kinetics, (2) blocking of exchange sites with silver thiourea, and (3) susceptibility of sorbed 137Cs to chemical extraction, support the idea that added Cs is sorbed at different kinds of cation exchange sites in HIV grains. Sites highly selective for Cs but relatively few in number are inferred to exist in interlayer wedge zones within such grains. Little of the naturally occurring Cs in the soil samples was extractable by chemical agents that would remove Cs from ordinary cation-exchange sites and from within non-silicate soil components. Furthermore, most of the natural Cs was inaccessible for isotope dilution under slightly acidic conditions approximating the natural soil environment. These observations support the idea that most of the Cs in these soils has become effectively fixed in the narrower parts of interlayer wedge zones. Control of Cs uptake and fixation by highly Csselective interlayer wedge sites would account for the large distribution coefficients found for 137Cs at the low aqueous Cs concentrations typical of environmental systems and also for the relatively large concentrations of stable Cs in the SRS soils.

The Bracarense ceramics are characterized by a fine, pale yellow paste covered with a brownish yellow slip. The name is derived from Bracara Augusta, the Roman town located in the north of Portugal, where this type of ceramic paste was first found and identified. Various forms with the same type of paste occur, such as imitations of sigillata, terra sigillata and thin walls from the Augustus-Tiberius period, and common ware. Later, similar ceramics were also found in other archeological sites, e.g. Aquis Querquennis (Galiza, Spain), which question the location of the production center of this type of ceramic paste.

Mineralogical and chemical analyses showed that the majority of the Bracarense shards studied differ from the common ware of the Braga region. Despite minor differences, the Bracarense shards collected in Aquis Querquennis have the same geochemical pattern as those found in Bracara Augusta, i.e. they appear to have been manufactured with the same clay type. The firing products found indicate a kaolin character of the source clay, and point to firing temperatures near 900°C. The Aquis Querquennis shards have greater Br contents, which can be explained by use-wear and/or post-depositional processes, as this site is located in a thermal-water region.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of chemical parameters on the characterizationof W-type zeolite crystals and their intergrowths with other types of zeolites. The crystal size and purity ofW-type zeolites are affected significantly by the gel composition with respect to the molar ratios of SiO2/Al2O3 (aluminosilicate module, α), H2O/K2O (alkainity, β), and water content (H2O/SiO2, γ). The effects of these gel parameters ont he synthesis and characterizationof W-type zeolite were investigated.

Crystalline W-type zeolite of high purity was synthesized using a gel with a molar ratio of Al2O3:6.4SiO2:5.6K2O:164.6H2O at T = 165°C for a period of 72 h. The effect of excess K2O/SiO2 ratio ina mono-cation (K)-SiO2-Al2O3 gel-composition system on the nanoparticle size and purity of the product was also investigated. Experiments were carried out using the following levels of alkalinity: 21.4, 29.4, and 51.9; aluminosilicate module: 5.0, 6.4, and 10.0; water content: 16.5, 25.7, and 32.9; and excess K2O/SiO2 ratio: from 0.65 to 3.33. The results showed that by increasing the aluminosilicate module at high K2O/SiO2 ratio, the crystallinity and crystal size of the zeolite synthesized increased, while at low alkalinity, the crystallinity and crystal size decreased. Decreasing alkalinity at low aluminosilicate module increased the crystallinity and decreased the crystal size, while at high aluminosilicate module, both decreased. Finally, by increasing the water content at all aluminosilicate module and alkalinity values, the crystallinity and crystal size of the W-type zeolite increased. Excess K2O/SiO2 ratio was the key factor that should be adjusted int he range 0.7–1.0 for synthesis of pure crystals of W-type zeolite.

The preface of Bill Butler and Elin Schoen's 1979 skating instruction manual, Jammin’, teems with encouragement, but offers one slight warning. Welcoming his first-time skaters, Butler tells the reader, “chances are, once you've roller-discoed, you won't want to stop. You'll want to stay on wheels. And there's no reason why you shouldn't, even if you're not in a rink.” With the tagline “[everything you need to know to get up and boogie down!],” Jammin’ begins with “skating the rail”—a necessary means for first-timers to establish balance, appreciate the tempo of the rink, and learn to control the skates beneath them. Butler then goes on to describe couples skating, group skating, and dancing in place, each of which articulates a relationship to tempo and “the beat,” to the other individuals in the rink, and the contradictions of the rink itself. Jammin’ therefore proposes a practice of emphatic improvisation that is decidedly nonlinear and centers an expressive practice. Jammin’ also cites the logistics and pleasures associated with skating as a community. These logistics and pleasures include everything from “dealing with other people” to “how to become a disco dazzler in one minute flat.” Butler tells us the secret of both is, simply put, to relax.

Acoustic and electroacoustic measurements of particle-size distribution (PSD) and zeta potential (ζ potential), respectively, were used to obtain in situ measures of the effects of suspension concentration and pH on interactions between mixed-charge clays and clay minerals from a highly weathered sediment. Measurements were obtained in concentrated suspensions as a function of weight fraction and as a function of pH during titrations. Standard dispersion and centrifugation methods were used to obtain a comparative measure of PSD. Thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction patterns were used to obtain semi-quantitative and descriptive analyses, respectively, of the sediment, which is composed of Fe oxide minerals, kaolinite, gibbsite, quartz, crandallite, chlorite and traces of other clay minerals. Acoustic measurements showed that the PSD of the clay fraction varied with suspension concentration, and electroacoustic measurements showed the ‘bulk’ ζ potential increased in absolute value as the suspension concentration decreased. Titration results were also sensitive to suspension concentration. Acoustic measurements indicated that the suspensions became unstable at ∼pH 7.5–8.0, as the attenuation spectra changed character near this pH and the calculated PSD shifted to a larger particle size. This pH value is near the points of zero charge of goethite and gibbsite, as verified by titrations on mineral standards. The results confirm the central role oxide minerals play in regulating clay mineral interactions in highly weathered sediments, and indicate that the average ζ potential of a suspension may be a poor indicator of controls on suspension stability.

This article examines the current state of Ukrainian trademark law to enhance further Ukrainian integration into the European and global intellectual property law systems. Ukraine must be seen as a jurisdiction with a high level of trademark protection, as the momentum has swung in favor of Ukraine's admission to the European Union (EU). It also serves as a case study of a country transitioning from an older, obsolete trademark system to a modern one. The article explores the facets of trademark law, both substantive and procedural, that make up a modern, progressive trademark protection law system. The article uses United States (US) and EU trademark laws as benchmarks to compare the development of Ukraine's law on the subject. It explores recent legislative reforms and existing proposals to enhance trademark protection. Particular attention is paid to the 2020 and 2023 Amendments that recognize trademark dilution as a separate cause of action and provide a more precise delineation of the fair use of a trademark, as well as the modernization of the registration process and actions related to trademark opposition and infringement. Additionally, issues related to the revocation, invalidity, and enforcement of trademarks are analyzed. The article concludes that, when fully implemented, the existing intellectual property reform legislation will improve the efficiency of trademark protection in Ukraine.

Smectite illitization is an important diagenetic phenomenon of mudstones, but only rarely has the influence of organic matter (OM) on this process been examined. In the present study, hydrothermal experiments were conducted with smectite (M1, total organic carbon (TOC) <0.3%) and a smectite and N,N-dimethylhexadecylamine (16DMA) complex (M2, TOC >1%). X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and organic carbon analyses were employed to characterize the mineralogy and OM of the samples and the effect of OM on smectite illitization. The XRD patterns showed changes in clay mineral parameters with increased temperature. These changes varied in both M1 and M2 and indicated a difference in the degree of smectite illitization. Moreover, the OM in M2 was mainly adsorbed in smectite interlayers, the OM was largely desorbed/decomposed at temperatures above 350°C, and the OM was the main reason for differences in the degree of smectite illitization between M1 and M2. Bulk mineral composition, elemental content, and infrared absorption band intensities were changed with increased temperature (especially above 350°C). This indicated the formation of new minerals (e.g., ankerite). Overall, OM entered the interlayer space of smectite in M2 and delayed the exchange of K+ by interlayer cations, and thus, suppressed the transformation of smectite to illite and resulted in differences in smectite illitization of M1 and M2. In particular, the formation of CO2 after the decomposition of OM at temperatures above 300°C led to the formation of ankerite in M2. This demonstrated the effect of organic-inorganic interactions on smectite illitization and mineral formation. The disparities in smectite illitization between M1 andM2, therefore, were linked to differences in the mineral formation mechanisms of a water-rock system (M1) and a water-rock-OM system (M2) in natural environments. The insights obtained in the present study should be of high importance in understanding organic-mineral interactions, hydrocarbon generation, and the carbon cycle.

The Bill of Rights Bill was withdrawn on 27 June, signalling what appears to be a major change of policy. After the withdrawal announcement had been made, The Times quoted Dominic Raab as suggesting that ‘All the wrong people will celebrate’ – among whom is your correspondent.

Dioctahedral clays from an active continental geothermal system have been studied to assess their usefulness as proxies of paleo-hydrological and thermal conditions in the subsurface. Drill cuttings from Well WK244 in the Te Mihi area of the Wairakei Geothermal Field, New Zealand, were analyzed to determine the mineralogical, morphological, and isotopic characteristics of hydrothermal clays in these samples. Mixed-layer illite-dioctahedral smectite (I-S) and R0 chlorite-trioctahedral smectite are the main clay minerals, with I-S clays varying downward from R1 to R3 ordering and 50 to >90% illite over 160 m. The proportion of illite in I-S correlates positively with downhole temperature (r = 0.98) and I-S morphology changes from high aspect ratio ribbons, laths, and hairy fibers to pseudo-hexagonal plates with depth. Swelling clay percentages determined using the methylene blue method show a strong positive correlation with %S in I-S (r = 0.91), validating use of methylene blue as a rapid field tool for characterizing the smectite to illite transition in this active geothermal environment. The oxygen isotopic composition of I-S (dd18OI-S) decreases systematically with depth, and mostly reflects a progressive increase in subsurface temperature during clay formation. Estimates of water/rock ratios calculated using δ18OI-S values display stratigraphic variability that corresponds to variations in permeability. Oxygen isotopic measurements of I-S are a useful tool for understanding reservoir and permeability evolution in such geothermal systems and their related fossil analogs.

The intense use of scientific dating over the last three decades makes it possible for the first time reasonably to connect the topographically diverse parts of the Hittite capital Ḫattuša. Not only was the decision to found a city at this site based on pre-Hittite parameters, but at the same time, it also becomes clear that the settlement is one of the very few in Anatolia which was continuously used from the end of the third millennium BC through the second millennium until the beginning of the Iron Age. Furthermore, the accumulation of radiocarbon dates in individual, archaeologically intensively studied areas of the site makes it now possible to understand the development as a dynamic and fluent process. Based on the results outlined here, permanent moves back and forth of the settled areas within a geographically defined space can be reconstructed. The Hittite city of Ḫattuša was always a construction site. Next to densely built-up districts there existed at all times large expanses of either ruins of buildings or of open spaces, which could have been used as pasture or arable land. The settlement’s map, regularly reproduced as its overall plan, thus represents a status reconstructed or idealised by modern research. Most probably the settlement was at no time occupied to this extent, and accordingly never looked like this in its history.

The Reynolds Cup (RC) is a unique round-robin competition that was established by The Clay Minerals Society in 2000 to assess the level of precision and accuracy that is attainable for the mineralogical analysis of a wide range of complex clay-rich materials. Although the Reynolds Cup roundrobin allows any possible analysis methods, X-ray diffraction (XRD) is by far the most frequently used technique. It is not only used to identify components, but also for quantitative phase analysis (QPA). QPA means determination of the relative concentrations of the coexisting phases in a mixture, commonly as a weight percent (wt.%) or mass fraction. Several approaches allow a quantitative determination of mineral contents, such as the Rietveld method (Rietveld, 1967). The successful application of the Rietveld method for QPA requires that all components are correctly identified and that the component diffraction patterns are appropriately described, which is preferably based on structure. In addition, the quality of a Rietveld quantification also depends on suitable sample preparation and measurement conditions, as well as a correct description of instrument configurations. Results from all previous Reynolds Cup contests show that a successful quantification depends strongly on the skill of users. Although the refinement procedure itself is automatic and, therefore, user independent, the results are strongly influenced by the structural models and refinable parameters that are selected and on the limitations of those parameters. Selected examples for the successful application of Rietveld refinement as well as the limitations of the method will be discussed in this article. The goal of the present work was to demonstrate that the Rietveld method is in principle capable of quantifying all Reynolds Cup samples with a high degree of accuracy, but sample specific difficulties and analysts’ inexperience may impede successful application. Incorrect results are often not indicated simply by low residuals or good fits. All refinement results should be validated and corrected using supplementary techniques, even if the results appear acceptable.

The intercalation of a saponite with the Al polycation [Al13(OH)24(H2O)24]15+ is described. This polycation is obtained by reaction of alumina with Al chloride. The intercalation is achieved by reaction of very concentrated solutions of this polycation with the clay in powder form. Solids with a basal spacing of 18.9 Å were obtained in this way, stable up to 700°C (17.0 Å). The Langmuir surface area of the intercalated solid was 366 m2/g, and that value decreases to 119, 138 and 125 m2/g for the solids pillared at 500, 600 and 700°C, respectively.

The role of saline lake sediments in preserving organic matter has long been recognized. In order to further understand the preservation mechanisms, the role of clay minerals was studied. Three sediment cores, 25, 57, and 500 cm long, were collected from Qinghai Lake, NW China, and dissected into multiple subsamples. Multiple techniques were employed, including density fractionation, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), total organic carbon (TOC) and carbon compound analyses, and surface area determination. The sediments were oxic near the water-sediment interface, but became anoxic at depth. The clay mineral content was as much as 36.8%, consisting mostly of illite, chlorite, and halloysite. The TEM observations revealed that organic matter occurred primarily as organic matter-clay mineral aggregates. The TOC and clay mineral abundances are greatest in the mid-density fraction, with a positive correlation between the TOC and mineral surface area. The TOC of the bulk sediments ranges from 1 to 3% with the non-hydrocarbon fraction being predominant, followed by bitumen, saturated hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbons, and chloroform-soluble bitumen. The bimodal distribution of carbon compounds of the saturated hydrocarbon fraction suggests that organic matter in the sediments was derived from two sources: terrestrial plants and microorganisms/algae. Depth-related systematic changes in the distribution patterns of the carbon compounds suggest that the oxidizing conditions and microbial abundance near the water-sediment interface promote degradation of labile organic matter, probably in adsorbed form. The reducing conditions and small microbial biomass deeper in the sediments favor preservation of organic matter, because of the less labile nature of organic matter, probably occurring within clay mineral-organic matter aggregates that are inaccessible to microorganisms. These results have important implications for our understanding of mechanisms of organic matter preservation in saline lake sediments.

Despite the numerous studies on geomaterials in Tunisia, quite a few clay varieties are not yet well defined. In fact no detailed geological, mineralogical, or geochemical characterizations of Tunisian palygorskite deposits have been carried out to date. The purpose of the present work was to study the continental Eocene clay deposit at the southern end of the Tunisian North axis, between Jebel Rheouis and Jebel Boudinar, to determine its potential as a clay reserve. Nine samples were collected from the Cherahil formation representing the lower, middle, and upper levels. The analytical results obtained using several techniques (chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, specific surface area measurements, Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy) revealed that palygorskite is the dominant clay mineral. Dolomite and quartz are present as associated minerals. Chemical analysis of sample AR9 showed a smaller potassium content compared to other samples. Sample AR9 consists essentially of dolomite associated with palygorskite and quartz. Other samples (AR5, AR6, and AR7) collected from the same Cherahil formation contained palygorskite as the main phyllosilicate mineral (80%). The important reserve of palygorskite was found in the middle of the Cherahil formation. Dolomite and quartz associated with palygorskite reduced the length and crystallinity of the fibrous clay morphology. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy proved that the crystallinity of palygorskite was less in the lower and upper parts of the Cherahil formation. The central palygorskite deposit may be of interest for pharmaceutical (adsorbent drug) and other applications. The two other levels of Cherahil formation are mineralogically heterogeneous and considered economically less important than the middle level, which is rich in palygorskite.

Supported silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have been used extensively as antibacterial agents in biomedicine, biotechnology, and environmental remediation. However, a facile and scalable method for preparing Ag NPs dispersed homogeneously on supports remains a challenge. In this study, a novel molten salt method was developed successfully to synthesize the supported, homogeneously dispersed Ag NPs on palygorskite. Abundant pores and ample surface hydroxyl groups of palygorskite served as anchoring sites, preventing the rapid growth, aggregation, and sintering of Ag NPs. Typically, palygorskite was mixed with AgNO3 (as a precursor) and NaNO3 (as a dispersant), and then the mixture was heated slowly. During the heating process, the AgNO3 decomposed gradually into Ag NPs and the molten NaNO3 with a high concentration of ions dispersed the newly formed Ag NPs. The Ag NPs were dispersed homogeneously on the palygorskite and had very small particle sizes (~5.8 nm) even for a significant loading amount (~9 wt.%). As antibacterial agents, the Ag/palygorskite nanocomposites showed enhanced antibacterial activity, compared with those synthesized without the introduction of molten NaNO3. In addition, the key effect of the surface hydroxyl groups of palygorskite on the characteristics of the loaded Ag and the corresponding antibacterial activity were also elucidated. As such, the present work provided a novel and facile strategy for the synthesis, without a chemical reductant or surfactant, of supported, highly dispersed Ag NPs on clay minerals and this could have potential in the scalable production and practical application of Ag-based antibacterial materials.