Use of atomic force microscopy for examining wet clay
Selvam, Arunkumar (Michigan Technological University. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department)
See, Chun Hwa (University of Mississippi. Graduate Research Assistant. Chemical Engineering Department)
Barkdoll, Brian (Michigan Technological University. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department)
Prasad, Shyam (University of Mississippi. Civil Engineering Department)
O'Haver, John (University of Mississippi. Chemical Engineering Department)

Date:	2006
Abstract:	Clays and their composites have been widely used for secondary containment walls for underground storage tanks and landfills. The pore-size changes occurring in the clay have a profound effect on its permeability. This study presents a new method for evaluating the use of an atomic force microscope (AFM) for studying wet clay in a non-aqueous state in order to determine the pore-size of clay at various water contents, a type of study typically performed by the more expensive environmental scanning electronic microscope. The method consists of mounting a sponge saturated with water under the sample in order to prevent drying by the heat generated by the AFM electronics. The micro-scale AFM image results show that the clay-particle separations reduce linearly as the water content increases. This change in pore-size is postulated to be attributed to the reduction in the size of the diffuse double layer and more extensive hydrogen bonds between clay particles and bipolar water molecules. The AFM was not able to produce nano-scale images due to excessive adhesion between the cantilever arm and the wet clay sample.
Rights:	Aquest material està protegit per drets d'autor i/o drets afins. Podeu utilitzar aquest material en funció del que permet la legislació de drets d'autor i drets afins d'aplicació al vostre cas. Per a d'altres usos heu d'obtenir permís del(s) titular(s) de drets.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Clay ; Conductivity ; Contamination ; Gasoline ; Microscope ; Minerals ; Permeability ; Porosity ; Water
Published in:	Clays and Clay Minerals, Vol. 54, Núm. 1 (2006) , p. 25-28, ISSN 1552-8367

DOI: 10.1346/CCMN.2006.0540103

4 p, 480.2 KB  UAB restricted access

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