Mineral surfaces can support several processes that likely play a role in the origin of life including the concentration, selective sorption[1], protection[2], organization[3-5], and polymerization[6] of organic molecules. Clay minerals are predicted to be present in prebiotic environments and provide a large surface area for reactions with organic molecules. Interactions between early biomolec...

Spray dry granulation of clay minerals was studied to obtain clay mineral base support material for metallocene supported olefin polymerization catalysts. The morphology of the granules was strongly influenced by the nature of the clay mineral itself. Because of swelling characteristics of montmorillonite, its water dispersion was highly viscous even in the low slurry concentration (< 4 wt %). ...

RNA oligomers greater than 35-40 mers in length form in one day in the montmorillonite clay-catalyzed reaction of unblocked RNA monomers at 25 degrees C in aqueous solution.

-The adsorption on montmorillonite of two monovalent organic cations, methylene blue (MB) and thioflavin T (TFT), was studied in four different situations: (1) separate adsorption of MB or TFT; (2) competitive adsorption of TFT and Cs; (3) competitive adsorption of the two organic cations from their equimolar solutions; and (4) adsorption of TFT on a clay whose cation-exchange capacity (CEC) ha...

The role of catalysis in prebiotic synthesis is illustrated using the montmorillonite clay catalyzed synthesis of RNA oligomers. Reaction of activated monomers of nucleotides in pH 8 aqueous solution containing Mg2þ in the presence of montmorillonite yields 6–14 mers. The reaction takes place at the clay interlayer. The catalyst controls the synthesis of RNA oligomers in that a limited number o...

Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets obtained by exfoliating inorganic layered crystals have emerged as a new class of materials with unique attributes. One of the critical challenges is to develop robust and versatile methods for creating new nanostructures from these 2D-nanosheets. Here we report the delamination of layered materials that belonging to two different classes--the cationic clay, mont...

Nano ZnO/ montmorillonite composite were prepared by sol gel method under ultrasonic irradiation from directly mixing montmorillonite nano clay into Zinc gel. The Zn(CH3COO)2.2H2O and montmorillonite nano clay was used as precursor. The zinc acetate was dissolved in DI water and, NH3 (aq) solution was dropped into the zinc solution until pH 9 consequently the zinc gel was produced. The montmori...

Adsorption of quinoline (pKa 5 4.92) and background electrolyte (CaCl2) onto specimen kaolinite and montmorillonite were measured as a function of pH (3–7.5) and ionic strength (1–10 mM), and as a function of quinoline concentration (0.2–1.55 mM) at fixed pH values of maximum adsorption. Maximum sorption of quinoline occurred at pH 3.5–4.0 for kaolinite, and pH 3.0–5.0 for montmorillonite. At t...

Adsorption-desorption of the herbicide glyphosate (GPS) onto the clay mineral montmorillonite has been studied in presence of copper, in order to clarify the effects that this strongly complexing metal could have on the availability and mobility of GPS in soil environment. In contrast with previous findings, GPS adsorption on montmorillonite decreases in the presence of Cu, in solution or adsor...

No. dähn636 Neoformation of Ni Phyllosilicate upon Ni Uptake on Montorillonite R. Dähn, A.M. Scheidegger, B. Baeyens, B.M.H. Bradbury (Waste Management Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland), A. Manceau, M. Schlegel (U. of Grenoble, France) Beamline(s): X11A The flow of ground water through a nuclear waste epository can result in the release of radionuclides from waste matrices. The ...