Smectites hydration swelling

Carrizosa MJ, Hermosin MC, Koskinen WC, Cornejo J (2004) Interactions of two sulfonylurea herbicides with organoclays. Clays Clay Miner 52 643-649 Celis R, Hermosin MC, Cornejo J (2000) Heavy metal adsorption by functionalized clays. Environ Sci Technol 34 4593-4599 Chappell MA, Laird DA, Thompson ML, Li H, Teppen BJ, Johnston CT, Boyd SA (2005) Influence of smectite hydration and swelling on atrazine sorption behavior. Environ. Sci Technol 39 3150-3156 Chiou CT (1989) Theoretical considerations of the partition uptake of nonionic organic compounds by soil organic matter. In Sawhney BL, Brown K (eds) Reactions and movement of organic chemicals in soils. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, pp 1-29... 

Simulations of three representative Cs-smectites revealed interlayer Cs+ to be strongly bound as inner sphere surface complexes, in agreement with published bulk diffusion coefficients [78]. Spectroscopic and surface chemistry methods have provided data suggesting that in stable 12.4 A Cs-smectite hydrates the interlayer water content is less than one-half monolayer. However, Smith [81] showed using molecular simulations of dry and hydrated Cs-montmorillonite that a 12.4 A simulation layer spacing was predicted at about one full water monolayer. The results of MD computer simulations of Na-, Cs-and Sr-substituted montmorillonites also provide evidence for a constant water content swelling transition between one-layer and two-layer spacings [82]. 

Of particular interest for chemical transport into a predominantly smectite medium is the shrink-swell property of the clay material. The swelling properties of smectites are explained by two concepts. The first one, developed by Sposito (1973), shows that smectite swelling is caused by the hydration and mobility of the cations, which in turn balance the negative charge of the layer silicates. The second concept, presented by Low (1981), emphasizes the direct interaction of water molecules with the silicate surface. Both viewpoints fit the common observation that smectite swells in a high-hydration environment and at low electrolyte concentrations and shrinks when water is lost and salt is added to the bulk solution. 

The above results are related to the structural properties of the clay minerals. In the case of kaolinite, the tetrahedral layers of adjacent clay sheets are held tightly by hydrogen bonds. Therefore, only readily available planar external surface sites exist for exchange. With smectite, the inner peripheral space is not held together by hydrogen bonds, but instead it is able to swell with adequate hydration and thus allow for rapid passage of ions into the interlayer. 

MC and MD studies of hydrated smectites with monovalent counterions Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+ were also performed [62, 63, 69, 70, 72, 77-80], An increase of the simulation cell size of 2 1 Na-saturated clay or alternation of its shape from rectangular did not have a significant effect on the calculated interlayer properties [70]. It has been revealed that the mechanism of swelling and hydration depends upon the interlayer ion charge. Also the greater role of the clay mineral surface in organizing interlayer water in the case of K-montmorillonite with a weakly solvating counterion was concluded [64, 68]. 

Bentonite and hectorite clays consist primarily of hydrated aluminum and magnesium silicates, respectively. Bentonite is recognized for its swelling capacity one gram can absorb up to 11 ml of water. A commonly used smectite clay is aluminum magnesium... 

Calculate the maximum possible swelling pressure ofNa" -smectite during expansion from the monolayer hydrate to the two-layer hydrate based on the data in Figure 8.13. 

Boek, E.S., P.V. Coveney, and N.T. Skipper. 1995b. Monte Carlo molecular modeling studies of hydrated Li-, Na-, and K-smectites Understanding the role of potassium as a clay swelling inhibitor. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 117 12 608-12 617. 

Figure 13. Swelling behavior for a smectite clay derived from molecular dynamics simulations of montmorillonite. The equilibrium d-spacing is presented as a function of water content of the clay. The plateaus in the experimental and simulation results at 12 A and 15 A represe nt the stabiUzation of, respectively, the one-layer (insert stracture) and two-layer hydrates. No further expansion of the smectite is observed in nature beyond the two-layer hydrate. The simulations suggest that further swelling of the clay is possible although not thermodynamically favored.

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