Analysis of Soils and Clays

Inorganic membranes can function as the capturing medium of clays, soils and other particulate contaminants in fluids. The inorganic membranes, such as silver membranes, containing the deposit of the contaminants or minerals are then used as the X-ray diffraction (XRD) substrate for material analysis of the particulates. In some cases, they are part of the established test procedures as a National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard XRD substrate. 

Silver membranes have been used as filters to collect clays or soils in a dispersion medium and then as an XRD substrate. In a typical analysis for mineral contents, a clay or soil is dispersed in water and vacuum filtered on the membrane. The silver membrane in this case has an advantage over ceramic membranes in that the XRD patterns of the minerals are distinctively different from that of silver. In conuast, the i attems of the 

---