The interaction of water (and ice) with oxide surfaces has been studied with first principles density functional theory. To begin, an extensive series of studies on the clay mineral kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4) are reported with a view to understanding the efficacy of kaolinite as a heterogeneous ice nucleating agent. The main conclusions are: (i) water clustering is disfavoured on the kaolinite s...

ncorporating Ni-laden waste sludge into kaolinite-based construction ceramic materials appears promising based on the identified nickel bearing hases, evaluated incorporation efficiency and nickel leachability of the products. Nickel aluminate spinel (NiAl2O4) results from sintering kaolinite nd nickel oxide between 990 and 1480 ◦C, with more than 90% incorporation efficiency achieved at 1250 ◦...

A synthesis route is presented for the subsequent intercalation, exfoliation and surface modification of kaolinite (Kln) by an imidization reaction of high-molecular weight poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) or SMA in the presence of ammonium hydroxide. In a first step, the intercalation of ammonolyzed SMA by guest displacement of intercalated dimethylsulfoxide has been proven. In a second step,...

The sedimentation behavior of fine grained soil is largely dependent on its pore fluid chemistry. Physicochemical properties of the pore fluid, such as ionic strength and pH, could greatly influence the micro structure of kaolinite which in turn influences the sedimentation behavior. Other than ionic effect, adding fly ash can also cause different sedimentation behaviors due to the change of gr...

This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the nature and evolution mechanism of interstratifi ed clay minerals. We examined the <2 μm or <0.2 μm size fraction of interstratifi ed kaolinite-smectite (K-S) formed by hydrothermal and hydrogenic alteration of volcanogenic material from a Tortonian clay deposit (Almería, Spain), a weathered Eocene volcanic ash (Yucatan, Mexico), and...

Oxide surface coatings are ubiquitous in the environment, but their effect on the intrinsic metal uptake mechanism by the underlying mineral surface is poorly understood. In this study, the zinc (Zn) sorption complexes formed at the kaolinite, goethite, and goethite-coated kaolinite surfaces, were systematically studied as a function of pH, aging time, surface loading, and the extent of goethit...

Influence of aqueous phase properties and process parameters on kaolinite particle zeta potential was quantified by electrophoresis experiments. The results indicated that pH strongly altered the zeta potential of kaolinite and it decreases at the beginning and then increases in the range of pH = 2–13. The activity of different cations changes the zeta potential and has the following tendency o...

Pedogenic smectite from a young (Holocene) tropical soil was reacted in Al-rich solution at 150oC for a range of reaction times (3 to 120 days) in order to study mechanisms and rates associated with the transformation of smectite to kaolinite via interstratified kaolinite-smectite (K-S). As has been observed in tropical soils, the overall reaction rate is logarithmic, with rapid initial transfo...

Bentonite is a preferred buffer and backfill material for deep geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste (HLW). Bentonite does not retain anions by virtue of its negatively charged basal surface. Imparting anion retention ability to bentonite is important to enable the expansive clay to retain long-lived (129)I (iodine-129; half-life = 16 million years) species that may escape from the HL...

Kaolinite particles from two different sources (Fluka and Clay Minerals Society (CMS)) were examined with respect to their ability to act as ice nuclei (IN). This was done in the water-subsaturated regime where often deposition ice nucleation is assumed to occur, and for watersupersaturated conditions, i.e., in the immersion freezing mode. Measurements were done using a flow tube (the Leipzig A...