Clay, expansion

Figure 2,14, Dependence of 2 1 layer silicate clay expansion in water on structural layer charge.

Figure 8.15, Suggested dependence of the energy of a smectite-water system on the c-axis spacing. The stages of clay expansion are numbered and diagrammed to show intcrparticle and counterion (+) arrangement.

Other interesting Langmuir monolayer systems include spread thermotropic liquid crystals where a foam structure forms on expansion from a collapsed state [23]. Spread monolayers of clay dispersions form a layer of overlapping clay platelets that can be subsequently deposited onto solid substrates [24]. 

Moleculady mixed composites of montmorillonite clay and polyimide which have a higher resistance to gas permeation and a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than ordinary polyimides have been produced (60). These polyimide hybrids were synthesized using montmorillonite intercalated with the ammonium salt of dodecylamine. When polymerized in the presence of dimethyl acetamide and polyamic acid, the resulting dispersion was cast onto glass plates and cured. The cured films were as transparent as polyimide. 

MiscelDneous. Other important properties are resistance to thermal shock, attack by slag, and, in the case of refractories (qv), thermal expansion. For whiteware, translucency, acceptance of glazes, etc, may be extremely important. These properties depend on the clay mineral composition, the method of manufacture and impurity content. 

PI nanocomposites have been prepared by various methods with different fillers. The nanocomposites might have many applications starting from barrier and thermal resistance to a compound with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) [154-167]. These hybrid materials show very high thermal and flame retardation as well as barrier resistance and adhesion. Tyan et al. [158] have shown that depending on the structure of the polyimide the properties vary. Chang et al. [159] have also investigated the dependency of the properties on the clay modifiers. 

The catalytic application of clays is related closely to their swelling properties. Appropriate swelling enables the reactant to enter the interlamellar region. The ion exchange is usually performed in aquatic media because the swelling of clays in organic solvents, and thus the expansion of the interlayer space, is limited and it makes it difficult for a bulky metal complex to penetrate between the layers. Nonaqueous intercalation of montmorillonite with a water-sensitive multinuclear manganese complex was achieved, however, with the use of nitromethane as solvent.139 The complex cation is intercalated parallel to the sheets. 

The view that the clay surface perturbs water molecules at distances well in excess of 10 A has been largely based on measurements of thermodynamic properties of the adsorbed water as a function of the water content of the clay-water mixture. There is an extensive literature on this subject which has been summarized by Low (6.). The properties examined are, among others, the apparent specific heat capacity, the partial specific volume, and the apparent specific expansibility (6.). These measurements were made on samples prepared by mixing predetermined amounts of water and smectite to achieve the desired number of adsorbed water layers. The number of water layers adsorbed on the clay is derived from the amount of water added to the clay and the surface area of the clay. 

The pillared clays were also characterized by XRD. The [001] reflection characteristic of the expansion of the clay Is due to Insertion of the hydroxyalumlnum polycations between the clay layers. In Figure 5 the traces of the [001] reflection are shown... 

The solid material when transformed into fine powder creates a new material (regarding its surface properties and applications). The technology related to this subject is very expansive (found in talcum powder, cement, the clay industry, etc.). The Following areas of powder science are currently being investigated ... 

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