Interaction of Water and Clay Minerals

1. SURFACE CHEMISTRY Interaction of Water and Clay Minerals

2. A.Origins of Charge Deficiencies • Permanent • pH-dependent (due to isomorphous substitution) (variable, due to edges)

3. A.Origins of Charge Deficiencies • Imperfections in the crystal lattice -Isomorphous substitution. • The cations in the octahedral or tetrahedral sheet can be replaced by different kinds of cations without change in crystal structure (similar physical size of cations). For example, Al3+ in place of Si4+ (Tetrahedral sheet) Mg2+ instead of Al3+(Octahedral sheet) unbalanced charges (charge deficiencies) • This is the main source of charge deficiencies for montmorillonite. • Only minor isomorphous substitution takes place in kaolinite.

4. A.Origins of Charge Deficiencies Octahedral sheet neutral Net negative charge

5. B.Origins of Charge Deficiencies (Cont.) • 2.Imperfections in the crystal lattice - The broken edge The broken edge can be positively or negatively charged.

6. H M O H+ M O H M: metal M O- B.Origins of Charge Deficiencies (Cont.) 3. Proton equilibria (pH-dependent charges) Kaolinite particles are positively charged on their edges when in a low pH environment, but negatively charged in a high pH (basic) environment.

7. B.Origins of Charge Deficiencies (Cont.) 3. Proton equilibria (pH-dependent charges) H+ bound tightly, so the lower the pH, the less exchange there is (i.e., lower nutrient availability) Especially important in kaolinite, humus, where no internal charge imbalance

8. B.Origins of Charge Deficiencies (Cont.) • 4. Adsorbed ion charge (inner sphere complex charge and outer sphere complex charge) Ions of outer sphere complexes do not lose their hydration spheres. The inner complexes have direct electrostatic bonding between the central atoms.

9. - or + Cation - or + Dry condition C.“Charged” Clay Particles • External or interlayer surfaces are negatively charged in general. • The edges can be positively or negatively charged. • Different cations balance charge deficiencies. Kaolinite and negative gold sol (van Olphen, 1991)

10. Structure Polar molecule O(-) H(+) H(+) Hydrogen bond Salts in aqueous solution hydration D.Polar Water Molecules

11. O O H H H O H E.Clay-Water Interaction 1. Hydrogen bond Kaolinite H Adsorbed layers 3 monolayers Free water Clay Surfaces Bulk water Oxygen Hydroxyl O OH The water molecule “locked” in the adsorbed layers has different properties compared to that of the bulk water due to the strong attraction from the surface.

12. Na+ crystal radius: 0.095 nm radius of hydrated ion: 0.358 nm cation Clay layers The water molecules wedge into the interlayer after adding water The cations are fully hydrated, which results in repulsive forces and expanding clay layers (hydration energy). Dry condition (Interlayer) E.Clay-Water Interaction (Cont.) 2. Ion hydration

13. E.Clay-Water Interaction (Cont.) 3. Osmotic pressure A B From Oxtoby et al., 1994 The concentration of cations is higher in the interlayers (A) compared with that in the solution (B) due to negatively charged surfaces. Because of this concentration difference, water molecules tend to diffuse toward the interlayer in an attempt to equalize concentration.

14. E.Clay-Water Interaction (Cont.) Relative sizes of adsorbed water layers on sodium montmorillonite and sodium kaolinite Holtz and Kovacs, 1981

15. Thanks