• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.89-104
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• 2012

The solubility of aluminum for two Andisol profiles formed on pyroclastic materials and basaltic rocks from Jeju Island, Korea was investigated. It is found that high organic carbon content and $Al_{pyrophosphate}/Al_{oxalate}$ ratios in the A horizons, suggesting the substantial amounts of reactive Al are associated with organic matter, whereas the low organic carbon content and the $Al_{pyrophosphate}/Al_{oxalate}$ ratios in the Bo horizons indicate that a major part of the reactive Al should be bound inorganically. The differential FT-IR spectra following acid-oxalate dissolution and heating up to 150 and $350^{\circ}C$, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation confirm that imogolite is in the Bo horizon. Our results of equilibration experiments demonstrate that the Al solubility in the Bo horizon for Andisols can be clarified by the congruent dissolution model for imogolite-type material (ITM), rather than by the simultaneous equilibrium with both ITM and Al hydroxy-interlayered aluminosilicate. With results from dialysis and aging procedures, it is noted that the formation of a proto imogolite sol showing its transformation to imogolite, which supports the congruent dissolution of ITM primarily controlling the Al solubility of Andisols in Jeju Island, Korea.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.501-507
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• 2009

Ordered single-walled hollow aluminogermanate (ALGE) nano-balls(NBs) and nano-tubes(NTs) have been self-assembled from the ALGE precursors having an Al/Ge ratio of 1.33 using simple pH-control. The hollow ALGE NBs with average monodisperse diameters of 5 nm and chemistry of Al/Ge=1.5~1.6 were formed through structural assembly in the ALGE solution (Al/Ge=1.33) highly basified to pH=13(Na/Al=28~30) and followed by immediate acidification to pH=9. When the basified solution(pH=13) were acidified to pH=4, ALGE S-NTs (Short-fiber nano-tubes) with diameters of 3.3 nm, 15~20 nm in length, and chemistry of Al/Ge=2.6~2.8 were successfully synthesized. Whereas the solution was basified to pH=9, and subsequently acidified to pH=4, L-NTs(Long-fiber nano-tubes) with >100 nm in length were synthesized for the first time. The self-assembly of the hollow NBs, S-NTs, and L-NTs form the ALGE precursors can be explained by the degree of $H^+$-dissociation of the -Ge-OH inner surfaces, which was controlled by amount of $Na^+$ and pH conditions of ALGE precursor solutions. This results indicate that target forms of ALGE nanomaterials can be synthesized by simple pH controls.