The matric potential of water in gels of five-sixths neutralized aluminium montmorillonite (bentonite) and aluminium kaolinite changes during periods of shear and periods of rest. Shear increases the potential of water in bentonite gels, and in kaolinite gels containing little water, but decreases the potential in kaolinite gels containing more water. All these effects can be explained by changes in the curvature of water films at the gel-air interface. The difference between thixotropic and dilatant behaviour is the increasing and decreasing of the water potential on shearing. In dilatant pastes of silt-size particles, and for which the effects of electric charges are small, the pressure deficiency can reach large values after an increase in pore space, and this suffices to explain the characteristic features of dilatant behaviour.

The surface properties of wet-ground muscovite were studied by thermodynamics of water adsorption. The surface appears to be covered by contaminating material, probably organic, which is strongly held; it was not removed at 350° C and under a vacuum of 10−4 torr. Attention is directed to the difficulty of maintaining freshly made silicate surfaces without contamination and to the importance of surface conditions in the interpretation of silicate properties which involve surface phenomena.

La fixation du toluène et sa polymérisation dans les espaces interfoliaires d'une montmorillonite-Cu(II) au cours de cycles de déshydratation, adsorption, désorption de l'excès de réactif et réhydratation, ont été étudiées. Elles ont été suivies au moyen de diverses méthodes d'analyse (thermogravimétrie, radiocristallographie et spectrophotométrie d'absorption infrarouge). Les résultats rappellent ceux obtenus lors de l'étude du système montmorillonite-Cu(II)-benzène. Ainsi, la fixation du toluène s'effectue selon deux réactions, correspondant l'une à l'adsorption d'une molécule de toluène, l-autre à celle de trois molécules de toluène par ion Cu2+. Toutefois, l'affinité du toluène pour la montmorillonite est supérieure à celle du benzène.

La composition minéralogique de la phase <2 µm de la croûte d'altération de teinte pâele et de quelques millimétres d'épaisseur, développée sur les faces des prismes basaltiques de Roudadou, près d'Aurillac, Cantal, a été étudiée par plusieurs techniques: RX, analyse thermique différentielle, thermogravimétrie, spectroscopie infra-rouge entre 600 et 200 cm−1, mesure des surfaces totales. Cette phase fine est constituée d'une fraction non cristalline relativement réduite et surtout de minéraux argileux cristallisés, parmi lesquels l'imogolite est largement dominante (50%), accompagnée de l'halloysite (30%). Parfois une smectite compléte ce cortège argileux. A notre connaissance, l'imogolite n'avait jamais été identifiée parmi les produits d'altération superficielle des roches volcaniques du Massif Central.

En el miembro basal de la Formación Utrillas, que aflora en las cercanias de Nuévalos, se ha localizado un nivel constituido por ilita, montmorillonita, natrojarosita, caolinita, cuarzo y materia carbonosa.

Se aportan datos de análisis químico, termodiferencial, termogravimetrico, microscopico y de difraccion de rayos X de la natrojarosita.

Se le atribuye a dicho sulfato un origen sedimentario por precipitación en un medio de aguas estancadas, desarrollado sobre materiales margo-yesiferos del Keuper. El hierro aportado al medio, la materia orgánica, y los iones procedentes de la disolución de las evaporitas Triasicas, provocaron las condiciones fisico-quimicas necesarias para la precipitación de la natrojarosita.

Los minerales de la arcilla son heredados, a excepcion de la montmorillonita que se la podria considerar paragenetica con la natrojarosita.

The objective of this research was to study the cellulose addition effect on the geopolymerization of heated clay. The clay, composed of illite, plagioclase and kaolinite, was heated at 700°C for 2 h and mixed with cellulose (up to 10 mass%). The mixtures were NaOH-activated, and shaped samples were aged at 83°C for 30 days. The cured samples were investigated by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of the cellulose addition on the mechanical/physical properties was also evaluated. The results showed that zeolite ZK-14, hydrosodalite, sodium carbonate and a geopolymer composed of poly(sialate) units were formed in all cured samples. The relative amounts of zeolite and metakaolin evolved antagonistically, whereas that of illite slightly decreased with increasing cellulose content. Metakaolin and illite were involved in the geopolymerization process. Cellulose addition led to the improvement of the flexural strength of the samples and to porosity reduction. By contrast, water absorption was increased. The positive effect of cellulose on sample performance is explained on the basis of hydrogen bonding between the functional moieties of cellulose and the active sites of sample constituents, namely zeolites, metakaolin, illite and the geopolymer. As a filler, zeolite probably contributed to sample strengthening, and the detrimental impact of Na-carbonate was insignificant. Based on the results obtained, the composites could be used as binders for brick manufacturing or as lightweight mortars.

The search for sufficiently high-quality clays for use in the tile industry represents a significant challenge. This study aimed to prepare Muttalip green clay tiles with flexural strengths adhering to the TS EN 1304:2016 standard. Muttalip green clay was subjected to sieving, vacuum pressed, dried and then baked to obtain galette tiles. The tiles were analysed subsequently using optical techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The influence of various firing temperatures (900, 950 and 1000°C) on the flexural strength of the tiles was also investigated. The tiles obtained at 950°C exhibited a maximum flexural strength of 153.91 kg cm–2. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the tiles reflect ultraviolet A radiation and absorb infrared radiation. Muttalip green clay is a suitable material for preparing tiles for roofing applications.

This work presents the synthesis of minerals with a layered structure in supercritical water/ethanol mixtures to decrease the critical coordinates of the solvent regarding water. Depending on the water/ethanol ratio of the solvent, we obtained three different minerals adopting an octahedral brucitic sheet: (1) without a Si-tetrahedral sheet (O); (2) associated with one Si-tetrahedral sheet (T-O); or (3) intercalated between two Si-tetrahedral sheets (T-O-T). We have thus shown that ethanol in a supercritical water/ethanol mixture changes the solubility of silicon with a direct consequence on the formation of the tetrahedral silicon sheets and thus makes it possible to control the structure of the synthesized layered material.

Aung et al. (2014, 2015) described the activation of kaolin samples to remove coloured pigments from rice-bran oil, the effects of various treatments on their decolourization capacity, and the characterization of these kaolin samples by physical methods. This research used a kaolin sample from Ranong in southern Thailand, and investigated the effects of grinding and heat treatment prior to acid activation of the mineral. The various activated mineral phases were then characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction, Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence. This work represented an extension of research reported previously by Worasith et al. (2011a), in which various samples of the same Ranong kaolin were characterized after grinding and acid activation, and their capacities to decolourize rice-bran oil evaluated (Worasith et al., 2011b). However, despite the similarities in the experiments, there are some important differences in the results presented in these two sets of publications, which raise questions concerning the conduct of this type of research and the generality of any conclusions derived.

The catalytic cracking process, which first came into prominence during the recent war, was one of the means adopted by the petroleum industry to meet the demand for aviation spirit of high quality to fuel the Allies' air forces. It was applied mainly in the United States and quantitatively made the largest contribution of any process. The process is a modification of the older thermal cracking process, the presence of the catalyst bringing about at a lower temperature the breakdown of large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones (some in the petrol boiling range) whilst at the same time promoting side reactions which improve the quality of the spirit.

Preliminary investigation of the minerals in sediment core 15 taken at a depth of 1990 metres in the Gulf of Naples shows:

1. (i) Volcanic materials, especially glass, occur throughout the core, but only in certain horizons >50%. These horizons represent periods of volcanic activities in the region and further investigation is required to correlate them.

2. (ii) No mineral in the core shows any post-depositional alteration, and most of them are clear and fresh.

3. (iii) Among the clay minerals illite is predominant, but kaolinite and mont-morillonite are also present.

The industrial uses of clay minerals as catalysts date from the early 'thirties. The application of catalysis to the thermal cracking of oil started in about 1931; pre-heated oil was passed downwards through fixed beds of granular catalyst, often attapulgite, under pressure (80 lb. per sq. in.) and at about 900°F., as in the Houdry and Hydroforming systems. The catalyst had to be periodically burned off to regenerate it, and was reintroduced at the top of the reaction column. An improvement on this static process came when the granulated catalyst was kept moving counter current to the pre-heated oil. This led about 1939 to the fluid-flow method of catalysis in which powdered catalysts are used in a fluid, free-flowing condition, circulated by the air-rift method well-known in the movement of liquids.

Study of “tierras de Lebrija” by chemical, dehydration curves, d.t.a., X-ray and electron microscopic methods indicates the composition of these Pliocene sediments to be approximately equal quantities of attapulgite and illite.