Water sorption on Ca-saturated clays: I. Multilayer sorption and microporosity in some illites

Abstract

Measurements of water desorption and sorption on four Ca-saturated illitic clays show that the shapes of the isotherms are very similar to those for other oxide surfaces, indicating that the formation of water multilayers is quantitatively similar. This enables graphs of multilayer thickness against mass sorbed to be drawn and used to assess microporosity. Hysteresis occurs and this is attributed to loss of external surface as drying brings platy particles in close face-to-face contact. Mixed-layer mica-smectites, however, exhibit no microporosity by this test and behave as if all surfaces are freely accessible to multilayer formation. The reason for this is not at present understood.