Hydration studies of Bentonite clay

Abstract

Bentonite clay when hydrated increases its volume several fold to form a pliable mass. X-ray diffraction showed that as hydration increases, the crystalline peaks due to kaolinite, calcite and quartz are gradually replaced by an amorphous background while the crystalline reflections of montmorillonite remain. Hydration is known to occur through the inclusion of the hydroxyl radical within the layered structure of the clay. Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) data on the dry and hydrated clay confirm the water uptake as found from the level of incoherent scattering at higher values of Q.