Applied Clay Science最新文献

{"title":"Montmorillonite-alginate films for paraquat adsorption and fluorescent detection","authors":"Michelle D. Restivo,&nbsp;Danielle Silva do Nascimento,&nbsp;Yésica Sepúlveda,&nbsp;Mariana Etcheverry,&nbsp;Carolina V. Waiman,&nbsp;Graciela P. Zanini","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107746","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the ability of montmorillonite (Mt) encapsulated in alginate films (A) to retain and detect the herbicide paraquat (PQ) in situ by molecular fluorescence in aqueous solution. The synthesis of the films (Mt-A) was carried out using a biopolymer in aqueous solution, avoiding organic solvents and thus preventing toxic waste generation. Characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDS demonstrated that Mt. is homogeneously distributed within the film, with only slight changes to its interlayer space. Before evaluating the fluorescence behavior of PQ adsorbed on the films, the robustness of the herbicide's fluorescence signal was confirmed in Mt. dispersions, showing independence from dissolved ions and pH. Fluorescence response as a function of initial herbicide concentration was evaluated under conditions where C_eq ∼ 0. Under these conditions, a linear fluorescence intensity response was observed for the initial PQ concentration in all studied scenarios. The Mt-A composite also exhibited a linear fluorescence response with the initial herbicide concentration within the range of concentrations highly toxic to humans and animals. The simplicity and sustainability of the films synthesis, the ability to preconcentrate the herbicide, the absence of sample preparation, the avoidance of organic solvents, and the simplicity of detection are noteworthy. These findings provide insights for the future development of simple detection systems for PQ in aqueous systems, with montmorillonite as the principal active component.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 107746"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143376555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Halloysite modulated MoC-MoN heterojunction for high-performance LiS Batteries","authors":"Yihui Li ,&nbsp;Chenyu Yan ,&nbsp;Xiongbo Dong ,&nbsp;Aidong Tang ,&nbsp;Huaming Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107709","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107709","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transition metal carbide-nitride heterojunctions have gained great attention in Li<img>S batteries for overcoming the issues such as polysulfide dissolution, poor electrical conductivity of the cathode, and sluggish electrode reaction kinetics. However, precisely designing and synthesizing these potentially important materials is still challenging. Herein, a novel strategy that employs halloysite for MoC-MoN heterojunction with a precisely regulated interface (HNT/MoC-MoN) is proposed. The results show that halloysite surfaces abundant in hydroxyl groups can induce the formation of MoC-MoN heterojunction via enhancing charge transfer at the interface between halloysite and MoC-MoN. The optimized formation of the MoC-MoN heterojunction accelerates the electron migration and the conversion kinetics of lithium polysulfide (LiPSs). By optimizing the design, the synthesized HNT/MoC-MoN composite demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance in Li<img>S batteries, achieving an initial specific capacity of 1100 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2C and maintaining a capacity of 605 mAh g⁻¹ after 300 cycles. This work may provide valuable insights for the application of natural minerals in Li<img>S batteries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107709"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic role of pillared bentonite with single and binary Fe/Al-polyoxocations on Pb(II) adsorption recovery from hard water under competitive and non-competitive effects","authors":"Samira M. Abdel-Azim ,&nbsp;Noha A.K. Aboul-Gheit ,&nbsp;Sherif A. Younis ,&nbsp;Sahar M. Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the post-pillarization of bentonite clay using Fe/Al-polyoxocations—both singular and mixed—to enhance its surface and textural properties for improved adsorption-desorption recovery of Pb(II) ions from hard water. The adsorption-desorption capabilities of the pillared bentonites (referred to as Fe-, Al-, and Fe/Al-PILBCs) are investigated and optimized, taking into account the interactions between water components and operational conditions in both competitive and non-competitive scenarios. The incorporation of mixed Fe/Al pillars significantly increases the surface area, reactivity, and interlayer spacing of the clay, leading to improved pore diffusivity and enhanced interactions between Pb(II) and the Brönsted/Lewis acid sites in Fe/Al-PILBC. Consequently, the adsorption capability of Fe/Al-PILBC for Pb(II) ions is enhanced by 1.33 to 1.53 times compared to single-pillared clay adsorbents. Optimization using response surface methodology demonstrates that the interaction between solution pH and other operational factors is crucial for maximizing the Pb(II) adsorption capacity of Fe/Al-PILBC. This capacity can reach 67.85 mg/g at a pH of 4.5 after 10 min by adjusting the Pb(II) speciation and the surface charge density of Fe/Al-PILBC.Thermodynamic, kinetic, and isotherm studies indicate that the physisorption of Pb(II) onto Fe/Al-PILBC is facilitated by heat energy input (Ea = 21.22 kJ/mol and ΔH^ο = 20.32 kJ/mol), allowing for endothermic adsorption with sustained adsorption-desorption recovery of Pb over 10 cycles. In practical applications involving groundwater and petroleum wastewater, higher ionic strength enhances electrostatic interactions and ion exchange between Ca(II)/Mg(II) cations and the active sites of Fe/Al-PILBC, leading to changes in Pb(II) adsorption thermodynamics due to competitive effects at the solid/liquid interface. Nonetheless, the overall adsorption capacity of Fe/Al-PILBC for divalent metal cations increases by 2.9 times in hard water compared to single Pb adsorption in a non-competitive environment, underscoring the promising potential of Fe/Al-PILBCs for water-softening applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107716"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143220288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occurrence and genesis of hectorite and mixed-layer-illite/hectorite in argillaceous sediments interlayered with Neogene borate deposits, Emet, Türkiye","authors":"Selahattin Kadir ,&nbsp;Hülya Erkoyun ,&nbsp;Tacit Külah ,&nbsp;Muhsin Eren ,&nbsp;Cahit Helvacı ,&nbsp;Burak Demiral","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Li-rich claystone was formed within the Miocene volcano-sedimentary units in Emet borate deposits, in western Anatolia. This research identified hectorite and mixed-layer-illite/hectorite-abundant claystone that have technological and economic potential and have not been studied to date. The claystone was formed through the diagenetic alteration of rhyolitic and zeolitic tuffaceous units in a shallow lacustrine playa lake environment under arid climatic conditions. The parent rocks comprise altered and sericitized plagioclase and sanidine, opacited and chloritized biotite/muscovite, zeolite, quartz, and rock fragments cemented by argillizied, sericitized, and carbonatized matrix. Abundant hectoritic smectite and mixed-layer-illite/hectorite accompanied by accessory feldspar, quartz, locally calcite/dolomite, gypsum, and orpiment/realgar. The Li concentration reaches a max of 2200 ppm in the hectorite-abundant claystone and 218 ppm in the tuffaceous units. Smectite flakes are associated with illite fiber, feldspar, and amphibole. The degradation of sanidine, plagioclase, biotite/muscovite, and hornblende contributed to the positive correlation of SiO₂ vs. Al₂O₃, K₂O, TiO₂, and total rare-earth elements (ΣREE) vs. SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and K₂O; MgO vs. Li values, and enhancement of MgO + CaO, Li, Sr + Rb, and ΣREE values, and LREE/HREE ratio; negative Eu anomaly and high concentration of S and As. These physicochemical compositions favored the formation of hectorite and mixed-layer-illite/hectorite. The δD and δ¹⁸O values of hectorite and mixed-layer-illite/hectorite samples and the formation temperatures range from 98 to 119 °C reveal a burial diagenetic alteration process. The δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of the calcite samples suggest the mixing of thermal and fresh waters. The high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of calcite and gypsum reveal the consumption of Sr during the alteration processes. Additionally, the negative δ³⁴S values of realgar and orpiment suggest formation under acidic-neutral conditions via sulfate reduction or microbial cycling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107737"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143220289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of silicas and aluminosilicate synthesized by sol-gel process on the structural properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers","authors":"Leonardo Martins Costa ,&nbsp;Tarcizo da Cruz Costa de Souza ,&nbsp;Raquel Kenya Ferreira Gonçalves de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Natanael Geraldo Silva Almeida ,&nbsp;Manuel Houmard","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107743","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study synthesized two silicas and an aluminosilicate (AlS, Al₂O₃.2SiO₂) via the sol-gel process to evaluate their effects on metakaolin-based geopolymers. Two geopolymer dosages were prepared with metakaolin and 0, 1, 2, and 10 %wt. sol-gel materials, using metakaolin and silica-rich byproducts (rice husk ash and silica fume) as references. The results revealed that sol-gel silicas above 2 %wt. led to particle aggregation and alkalis entrapment, worsening efflorescence. Geopolymers with 10 % sol-gel silicas exhibited 3-day compressive strengths of approximately 10 MPa, compared to ∼35 MPa for geopolymers with 10 % sol-gel aluminosilicate or pure metakaolin. This indicates that AlS particles dissolved more readily during geopolymerization, forming binder structures at early ages. Furthermore, AlS-based structures inhibited Na⁺ diffusion in the hardened matrix, reducing efflorescence compared to reference samples. However, this effect was less noticeable at the more porous dosage of geopolymers. AlS-derived structures were more porous than the metakaolin-based structures, limiting strength gain up to 28 days.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107743"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143220290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bentonite and organobentonite nanocomposite for removing chromium species from aqueous solutions","authors":"My Slimane Slimani ,&nbsp;Mustapha Aazza ,&nbsp;Hamid Barkouch ,&nbsp;Meryem Amar ,&nbsp;Abdelaaziz Alioui ,&nbsp;Ouafa Tahiri Alaoui ,&nbsp;Si Mohamed Bouzzine ,&nbsp;Hammou Ahlafi","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Batch adsorption studies were used to assess the effectiveness of bentonite and a synthetized Bentonite HDTMA⁺/clay nanocomposite in removing chromium species from aqueous solution. Characterization of adsorbents using XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDX, TGA/DTA, and BET method reveals that larger amount of HDTMA⁺ is located in the interlayer and outer surface of Bt, resulting in the efficiency modified Bt for higher removal of chromium species. The parameters involved in the adsorption process, including contact time, adsorption temperature, adsorbent mass, initial chromium concentration, and solution pH, were optimized. It was found that the HDTMA⁺/Bt composite had a higher adsorption capacity (250 mg/g) than Bt (2.73 mg/g) under optimal testing conditions: equilibrium period of 120 min for both adsorbents, pH = 2, m = 0.2 g of adsorbents, and chromium ion concentration of 2 10⁻⁴ M. The adsorption kinetics were found to be nonlinear pseudo-second-order, with intraparticle diffusion not being the main controlled adsorption step, and the thermodynamic parameters indicated the endothermicity of the spontaneous adsorption process. The isotherm data could be fitted by the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. This could be owing to the surface heterogeneity of the adsorbents, resulting in a hybrid adsorption process at multi adsorption sites. The FTIR spectra revealed Cr<img>O bond vibration bands caused by electrostatic interactions, Van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonding between adsorbents and chromium species. Regeneration tests demonstrate that theses adsorbents could be reused even after five cycles, which makes them much more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly, especially in applications like water treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107736"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143220287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Compressive stress induced by desiccation shrinkage in clayey soils","authors":"Hao Zeng ,&nbsp;Chao-Sheng Tang ,&nbsp;Yu-Jun Cui ,&nbsp;Abdallah Najdi","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The volumetric shrinkage behavior of clayey soils under drying has been well examined, whereas the resulting internal mechanical response remains understudied. This work measured the compressive stress induced by desiccation shrinkage in two types of clayey soils along vertical and lateral directions using a flexible pressure sensor embedded in the slurry samples. The stress evolution was investigated in relation to mineralogical compositions, hydromechanical behavior, microstructures and drying conditions. The results highlighted that the compressive stress developed as a consequence of desiccation shrinkage, particularly in clayey soils with a high montmorillonite content. The development of suction beyond the air entry value (AEV) contributed to a notable increase in the compressive stress. This contribution was enhanced in the vertical direction owing to the face-to-face contact between clay platelets. A decrease in environmental relative humidity caused the compressive stress to initiate at lower water content, yet limited the contribution of suction. Moreover, non-uniform lateral desiccation shrinkage along the soil profile activated contact shear effects among clay platelets, hindering the development of lateral compressive stress. With further drying, the suction contribution to the compressive stress decreased since the increasing formation of air-filled pores disrupted the chains of stress transmission. When the shrinkage limit was reached, the compressive stress stabilized as the clay platelets interlocked under high suction. Furthermore, the directly measurable compressive stress can serve as a mechanical reference for characterizing the volumetric shrinkage behavior of drying clayey soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107729"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143102089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic effect of processing water treatment sludge rich in kaolinite for the sustainable production of LC3","authors":"Tacila Bertulino ,&nbsp;Fernanda W.C. Araújo ,&nbsp;Antônio A. Melo Neto","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing population and urban development intensify the need for potable water, resulting in higher production of sludge in water treatment plants (WTPs). To mitigate the improper disposal of sludge and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from Portland cement production, the pozzolanic activity of sludge and its ashes, derived from WTPs and referred to as WTPA, is being investigated. These materials are being evaluated as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), enabling their application in the development of limestone calcined clay cement (LC³). The WTPA samples calcined at 600, 700, and 800 °C were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Blaine fineness, and laser diffraction techniques. Compressive strength, electrical conductivity, and R³ tests were performed to evaluate pozzolanic reactivity of WTPA. The influence of calcination temperature, the proportion of WTPA, and the water/cement ratio were studied using the Box-Behnken design in LC³ mixtures. The results suggest that the calcination temperature of 700 °C is ideal for producing pozzolana, standing out with an SAI of 140 % and 19.09 MPa in the lime test. This temperature also favored a higher combined water content (15.8 g/100 g of paste), indicative of resistant hydrated compounds. Additionally, the multi-objective analysis indicated that the optimal formulation for WTPA use in LC³ involves a calcination temperature around 700 °C, a replacement rate of 17.62 %, and a water/cement ratio of 0.54. This formulation provides a fluid consistency, while compressive strength reaches 35.57 MPa, demonstrating the effectiveness of sludge as pozzolana. This study provides new insights into the use of water treatment plant sludge ash as a sustainable material for the development of LC³, offering a promising alternative to reduce the environmental impact of the cement industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107741"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143164280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An integrated micro- and nano-scale investigation of green aluminosilicate materials: New insight into the gel network after natural weathering","authors":"Maria Cristina Caggiani ,&nbsp;Roberta Occhipinti ,&nbsp;Germana Barone ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Cultrone ,&nbsp;Paolo Mazzoleni","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The microstructures of most of the geopolymers synthesized from different starting materials are composed of a mixture of (semi)-crystalline and amorphous phases. In this work we aim to investigate in dept the nanoscale morphology and composition of the gel phase of two volcanic- (Mt. Etna, Sicily) and metakaolin-based geopolymers. The main technique used is high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), with energy dispersive X-ray compositional analysis (STEM-EDS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The results were compared with those obtained on a larger scale. For the first time, a focus at the micro- and nanoscale of geopolymers synthesized with these binary mixtures was achieved. The effect of weathering on the geopolymer network, the crystalline phases and the chemical composition was also evaluated showing, with the convergence of the results of complementary methods, that environmental exposure affects the products made with one type of precursor (<em>ghiara</em>) more than the other (volcanic ash).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107742"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143102090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing illitic-clay geopolymer production: A comparative study of conventional method and mechanosynthesized pre-geopolymer powder","authors":"Maroua Zerzouri ,&nbsp;Rabah Hamzaoui ,&nbsp;Layella Ziyani ,&nbsp;Ammar Yahia ,&nbsp;Saliha Alehyen","doi":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clay.2025.107727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the development of an environmentally sustainable production process for clay-based geopolymers. An illitic clay (IC) sourced from the Fes-Morocco region served as the aluminosilicate precursor after calcination (CIC), which was then activated using an alkaline mix (AM) composed of potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium silicate (SS). The pre-geopolymer powders (PGP) were generated by dry-mixing of milled CIC powders with alkaline activators, using various mass ratios of IC/AM and SS/KOH. This mixture underwent milling for brief durations of 3 and 5 min at 400 rpm, employing a planetary ball mill device. The resulting PGP was subsequently hydrated with water to form geopolymer pastes (MGP), which were then cured at 20 °C and 50 % relative humidity. Geopolymer pastes, prepared conventionally using the same mixture design (with a liquid form of sodium silicate) and curing conditions, were also included for comparative analysis of rheological, structural, and mechanical properties with the mechanosynthesized counterparts. The results of the study revealed that the mechanosynthesis process induced significant changes in the properties of the produced geopolymers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated a transformation in mineralogical composition towards amorphization, which is crucial for the formation of the desired Sodium-aluminium-silicate-hydrate(NASH) geopolymer network. Rietveld quantification further confirmed this by highlighting an increase in amorphous content and a decrease in crystalline phase content in the pre-geopolymer samples. Mechanosynthesized geopolymers with higher yield stress and storage modulus showed superior mechanical properties. Moreover, strain sweep analysis revealed greater stiffness and resistance to deformation in mechanosynthesized geopolymers compared to the conventional ones. Finally, compressive strength tests showed that mechanosynthesized geopolymers achieved significantly higher strengths than the conventionally prepared geopolymers, reaching up to 64 MPa after 28 days of curing. This result underscores the efficacy of mechanosynthesis in enhancing geopolymer properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":245,"journal":{"name":"Applied Clay Science","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 107727"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143102078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}