Role of Alkali Concentration on the Micro-Level Characteristics of Kaolinitic Clay: Fid-Bau Portal

Role of Alkali Concentration on the Micro-Level Characteristics of Kaolinitic Clay

Sruthi, P. Lakshmi / Reddy, P. Hari Prasad / Moghal, Arif Ali Baig

Type and concentration of pore fluids, nature, and quantity of clay minerals, play a major role in inducing alterations in the clayey soil. Moreover, alkali type and its concentration on mineral dissolution and neogenic formations are scanty for specified conditions (temperature, volume of reacting solution, and duration of interaction). In the present study, to clearly perceive the significant impact of alkalis (NaOH/KOH) with varying concentration (0.1–8 N) on dissolution of existing mineral and evolution of new minerals under specified conditions, micro level investigations have been carried out on kaolin. The samples were investigated to bring out the changes in specific surface area (SSA) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The detailed analysis of the results has corroborated that, original mineral dissolution and neogenic formations largely depend on alkali concentration and its type at a given hydrothermal condition for a particular volume of solution and duration of interaction. Furthermore, at higher concentration of the interacting solutions, complete dissolution of kaolinite mineral is observed. Variations observed in SSA and CEC values of the samples due to NaOH/KOH interactions are well supported by micro level changes.