Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-06-01T20:42:06.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of Gelation on the Properties of Water in Clay Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Ralph A. Leonard*
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Philip F. Low
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, USA
*
Present address: Soils Department, North Carolina State College, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Abstract

Particle size distributions in samples of Belle Fourche, Wyoming, Aberdeen, Utah, and Cheto bentonite were obtained by a centrifugation technique. From these distributions and the clay density the number of particles per gram was calculated for the different samples. Then the clays were mixed in different proportions with water and the clay concentrations required for thixotropy were determined. It was found that a smooth curve was obtained when the clay concentration required for thixotropy was plotted against the number of particles per gram of clay. A smooth curve was also obtained when the clay concentration at the upper plastic limit was plotted against the number of particles per gram of clay.

In each suspension the water tension at the upper plastic limit was measured at several temperatures. From the resulting data, the relative partial molar free energy, entropy and heat content of the water were calculated. In all cases the values were negative, suggesting that the water in the suspension had more order than pure bulk water.

When the water tension was measured in different suspensions of Aberdeen and Cheto bentonite it was found that the tension remained zero until the clay concentration was sufficient to allow gelation of the suspension. Thereafter, the tension increased rapidly with clay concentration. Consequently, it was concluded that the sol-gel transformation was accompanied by a change in the energy status of the included water. This conclusion was supported by reference to other investigations in which changes in water properties were noted on gelation.

Type
General
Copyright
Copyright © The Clay Minerals Society 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

Published as Journal Paper 2243, Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. This research was supported in part by a grant from the Division of Agricultural Development, Tennessee Valley Authority.

References

Anderson, D. M., Learning, G. F., and Sposito, G. (1963) Volume changes of a thixotropic sodium-bentonite suspension during the sol-gel-sol transition: Science, v. l41, pp. 10401041.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bishop, A. W., Alpan, I., Blight, G. E., and Donald, I. B. (1960) Factors controlling the strength of partly saturated cohesive soils: in Res. Conf. on Shear Strength of Cohesive Soils, Amer. Soc. Civil Eng. pp. 503532.Google Scholar
Buehrer, T. F., and Aldrich, D. G. (1946) Studies in soil structure. VI, Water bound by individual soil constituents as influenced by puddling: Ariz. Agrie. Exp. Sia. Tech. Bulletin 110.Google Scholar
Diamond, S., and Kinter, E. B. (1956) Surface areas of clay minerals as derived from measurements of glycerol retention: in Clays and Clay Minerals. Natl. Acad. Sci.—· Natl. Res. Council, pub. 566, pp. 334347.’.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foster, M. D. (1953) Geochemical studies of clay minerals: II. Relation between ionic substitution and swelling in montmorillonite: Amer. Min., v. 38, pp. 9941006.Google Scholar
Foster, M. D. (1955) The relation between composition and swelling in clays: in Clays and Clay Minerals, Natl. Acad. Sci.—-Natl. Res. Council, pub. 395, pp. 205220.Google Scholar
Grim, R. E., and Kulbicki, G. (1961) Montmorillonite: High temperature reactions and classification: Amer. Min., v. 46, pp. 13291369.Google Scholar
Kinter, E. V., and Diamond, S. (1956) Gravimetric determination of monolayer glycerol complexes of clay minerals: in Clays and Clay Minerals. Natl. Acad. Sci.—Natl. Res. Council, pub.566, pp. 318333.Google Scholar
Kolaian, J. H., and Low, P. F. (1960) Thermodynamic properties of water in suspensions of montmorillonite: in Clays and Clay Minerals, 9th Conf., Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 7184.Google Scholar
Leonard, R. A., and Low, P. F. (1961) A self-adjusting null-point tensiometer: Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc., v. 26, pp. 123125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Low, P. F. (1961) The physical chemistry of clay-water interaction: in Advances in Agronomy, v. 13, pp. 269327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackenzie, R. C. (1951) A micro-method for determination of cation-exchange capacity of clay: Jour. Coll. Sci., v. 6, pp. 219222.Google Scholar
Mitchell, J. K. (1960) Fundamental aspects of thixotropy in soils: J. Soil Mechanics and Foundations Div., Proc. Amer. Soc. Civil Eng., SM3, pp. 1952.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tanner, S. V., and Jackson, M. L. (1947) Nomographs of sedimentation times for soil particles under gravity or centrifugal acceleration: Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. Proc., v. 12, pp. 6065.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamaguchi, S. (1959) On the sensitivity of clay: Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Bulletin No. 28. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.Google Scholar