• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.18-18
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• 2003

Natural clays are composed of oxide layers whose thickness is about 1nm and cations existing between the layers. A number of these layers makes primary particles with a height of about 8∼10nm and these primary particles make aggregates with a size of about 0.1∼10$\mu\textrm{m}$. When layered silicate was made to be organophilic, by exchanging the interlayer cations with organic cationic molecules, the matrix polymer can penetrate between the layers to give a nanocomposite, where 1nm-scal clay layers exist separately in a continuous polymer matrix. These nanostructured hybrid organic-inorganic composites have attracted the great interest of researchers over the last 10 years. They exhibit improved performance properties compared with conventional composites, because their unique phase morphology by layer intercalation or exfoliation maximizes interfacial contact between the organic and inorganic phases and enhances interfacial properties. Since the advent of nylon-6/montmorillonite nanocomposite developed by Toyota Motor Co., the studies on layered silicate-polymer nanocomposites have been successfully extended to other polymer systems. They greatly improved the thermal, mechanical, barrier, and even the flame-retardant properties of the polymers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.403-418
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• 2014

There are around 6700 millions tons of perlite reserves in the world. Although perlite possesses pozzolanic properties, it has not been so far used in soil stabilization. In this study, stabilization with perlite and lime of an expansive clayey soil containing smectite group clay minerals such as montmorillonite and nontronite was investigated experimentally. For this purpose, test mixtures were prepared with 8% of lime (optimum lime ratio of the soil) and without lime by adding 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of perlite. Geotechnical properties such as compaction, Atterberg limits, swelling, unconfined compressive strength of the mixtures and changes of these properties depending on perlite ratio and time were determined. The test results show that stabilization of the soil with combination of perlite and lime improves the geotechnical properties better than those of perlite or lime alone. This experimental study unveils that the mixture containing 30% perlite and 8% lime is the optimum solution in stabilization of the soil with respect to strength.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.437-453
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• 2014

This paper studies the swelling and strength characteristics of unimproved and improved expansive soils in terms of the swell potential, swelling pressure, rate of secondary swelling, unconfined compressive strength and California bearing ratio (CBR). The admixtures used in this study are locally available cement and fly ash. The soils used in this study were taken from the Mae Moh power plant, Lampang Province, in northern Thailand. A conventional consolidation test apparatus was used to determine the swelling of the soil specimen. The optimum admixture contents are determined to efficiently reduce the swelling of unimproved soil. The rate of secondary swelling for unimproved soil is within the range of highly plastic montmorillonite clay, whereas the specimens improved with optimum admixture contents can be classified as non-swelling kaolinite. A soil type affects the swelling pressure. Expansive soil improvement with fly ash alone can reduce swelling percentage but cannot enhance the unconfined compressive strength and CBR. The strength and swelling characteristics can be predicted well by the swelling percentage in this study.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.373-382
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• 2022

Unsaturated soil at high suctions is widespread. Many civil engineering projects are related to the hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils at high suctions, particularly in arid and semiarid areas. To investigate water retention behaviors of nine clayey soils (one is classified as fat clay and the others are classified as lean clay according to the unified soil classification system), the high suction (3.29-286.7 MPa) was imposed on the specimens at zero net stress by the vapor equilibrium technique. In this paper, the effect of void ratio on the water retention behavior at high suction was discussed in detail. Validation data showed that soil types, i.e., different mineralogical compositions, are critical in the soil water retention behavior at a high suction range. Second, the hysteresis behavior at a high suction range is mainly related to the clay content and the specific surface area. And the mechanism of water retention and hysteresis behavior at high suctions was discussed. Moreover, the maximum suction is not a unique value, and it is crucial to determine the maximum suction value accurately, especially for the shear strength prediction at high suctions. If the soil consists of hydrophilic minerals such as montmorillonite and illite, the maximum suction will be lower than 10⁶ kPa. Finally, using the area of hysteresis to quantify the degree of hysteresis at a high suction range is proposed. There was a good correlation between the area of hydraulic hysteresis and the specific surface area.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.382-387
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• 2013

Biodegradable polyurethane (PU)/clay nanocomposite films were prepared via extrusion compounding process followed by casting film process. Organically modified montmorillonite (denoted as C30B) with a large amount of hydroxyl groups on its surface was used for the formation of strong bonding with PU resin. From both XRD analysis and TEM observations, the intercalated and exfoliated structure, and dispersion state of silicate platelets in the compounded nanocomposite films were confirmed. In addition, the rheological and tensile properties, optical transparency, oxygen permeability of the prepared nanocomposites were investigated as a function of added nanoclay content, and moreover based on these results, the corelation between the morphology and the resulting properties of the nanocomposites could be presented. The inclusion of nanoclays at appropriate content resulted in remarkable improvement in the nanocomposite performance including tensile modulus, elongation, transparency, and oxygen barrier property, however at excess amount of nanoclays, reduction or very slight increase was observed due to poor dispersion. The biodegradability of the prepared nanocomposite film was evaluated by examining the deterioration in the barrier and tensile properties during degradation period under compost.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.185-197
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• 2011

Sorption of chlorinated pesticides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and atrazine onto natural clays (montmorillonite and zeolite) modified with cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium (HDTMA) and a natural soil was investigated using batch adsorbers. The clays were transformed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic by the cation exchange between clay surface and HDTMA up to 100% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC). Physicochemical characteristics of the sorbents such as pH, PZC (point of zero charge), organic carbon content ($f_{oc}$), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were analyzed. Sorption isotherm models such as Freundlich and Langmuir were fitted to the experimental data, resulting Langmuir model ($R^2$ > 0.986) was fitted better than Freundlich model ($R^2$ > 0.973). Sorption capacity ($Q^0$) for 2,4-D and atrazine was in the order of HDTMA-montmorillonite > HDTMA-zeolite > natural soil corresponding to the increase in organic carbon content ($f_{oc}$). The sorption of the pesticides was also affected by pH. The sorption of 2,4-D decreased with the increase in pH, whereas that of atrazine was not changed. This indicated that the sorption capacity ($Q^0$) of 2,4-D and atrazine was not affected by the solution pH because they exist as anionic (deprotonated) forms at pH above pKa. The results indicate that organoclay has a promising potential to reduce chlorinated pesticides in the effluent from golf courses.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2015

This study investigated genetic, mineralogical and spectral characteristics of oil shale and coal samples in Dundgobi area, Mongolia. Based the Rock/Eval and Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, kerogen type, hydrogen quantity, thermal maturity and depositional environment were confirmed. Moreover, the mineral composition of oil shale and coal samples were analyzed by XRD and spectroscopy. The result of Rock Eval/TOC analysis revealed that the samples of Eedemt deposit are immature to mature source rocks with sufficient hydrocarbon potential, and the kerogen types were classified as Type I, Type II and Type III kerogen. On the other hand, the samples from Shine Us Khudag deposit were mature with good to very good hydrocarbon potential rocks where kengen types are defined as Type I, Type II/III and Type III kerogen. According to the carbon and sulfur contents, the depositional environment of the both sites were defined as a freshwater depositional environment. The XRD analysis revealed that the mineral composition of oil shale and coal samples were quartz, calcite, dolomite, illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite, anorthoclase, albite, microcline, orthoclase and analcime. The absorption features of oil shale samples were at 1412 nm and 1907 nm by clay minerals and water, 2206 nm by clay minerals of kaolinite and montmorillonite and 2306 nm by dolomite. It is considered that spectral characteristics on organic matter content test must be tested for oil shale exploration using remote sensing techniques.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.561-577
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• 2017

Vast parts of the east of Tabriz city have been covered by Baghmisheh formation marls. These marls can be classified into three types based on their color as identified in yellow, green, and gray marls. Many high-rise buildings and other projects were founded and now is constructing on these marls. Baghmisheh formation marls are classified as stiff soil to very weak rock, therefore they undergo considerable consolidation settlement under foundation loads. This study presents the physical properties and consolidation behavior of these marls. According to the XRD tests, major clay minerals of marls are Illite, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite and Chloride. Uniaxial compressive strength are 100-250, 300-480 and 500-560 kPa for yellow, green and gray marls, respectively. Consolidation and creep behavior of Baghmisheh marls investigated by using of one dimensional consolidation apparatus under stress level up to 5 MPa. The results indicate that yellow marls have high compressibility, settlement and deformation modules. Green marls have an intermediate compressibility and settlement and while gray marls have low compressibility and settlement and from the foundation point of view have high stability. According to the creep test results, all types of marls have not been entered to progressive creep phase up to pressure 5 MPa.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.120-126
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• 2016

Eco-friendly acrylic resin/clay nanocomposites containing pristine montmorillonite (PM) or modified clays (30B and 25A) were prepared from acrylic and styrenic monomers using non-aqueous dispersion (NAD) polymerization. Effect of nanoclays on physical properties of polymerization product and resulting nanocomposites was investigated. In view of NAD particle stability, addition of nanoclay at the beginning of polymerization is proved to be good. Results of gel fraction, acid value and viscosity of the NAD product showed that nanocomposites containing clay 25A showed better physical properties than the ones with other clays. GPC results exhibit the increase in molecular weight and decrease in polydispersity index for the 25A nanocomposite. Increase in layer distance confirmed from XRD analysis showed good dispersion of 25A in the nanocomposite. Thermal and dynamic mechanical analysis showed that highest glass transition temperature and storage modulus for 25A nanocomposites. These results indicate that 25A nanoclay gives the best properties in the process of non-aqueous dispersion polymerization of acrylic resin/nanoclay nanocomposites.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.35-45
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• 2016

Clays, which are abundant in nature and eco-friendly, have been utilized throughout human history due to their characteristic physicochemical properties. Recently, a variety of clays such as montmorillonite, kaolinite, sepiolite and layered double hydroxide with or without chemical modification have been extensively studied for potential application in industries. Clays that possess a large specific surface area, high aspect ratio, nanometer sized layer thickness and controllable surface charge could be utilized as polymer fillers after appropriate chemical modifications. These modified clays can improve mechanical and gas barrier properties of polymer materials but also provide sustained antibacterial activity to polymer films. Furthermore, engineered clays can be utilized as scavengers for chemical or biological pollutants in water or soil, because they have desirable adsorption properties and chemical specificity. In this review, we are going to introduce recent researches on engineered clays for potential applications in future industries such as food packaging and environmental remediation.