Elastic and inelastic neutron scattering study of hydrogenated and deuterated trimethylammonium pillared vermiculite clays

Anisotropy on the collective dynamics of water confined in swelling clay minerals

Collective excitations of water confined in the interlayer space of swelling clay minerals were studied by means of inelastic neutron scattering. The effect of bidimensional confinement on the dynamics of the interlayer water was investigated by using a synthetic Na-saponite sample with a general formula of Si(7.3)Al(0.7)Mg(6)O(20)(OH)(4)Na(0.7) in a bilayer hydration state. Experimental results reveal two inelastic signals, different from those described for bulk water with a clear anisotropy on the low-energy excitation of the collective dynamics of interlayer water, this difference being stronger in the perpendicular direction. Results obtained for the parallel direction follow the same trend as bulk water, and the effect of the confinement is mainly manifested from the fact that clay interlayer water is more structured than bulk water. Data obtained in the perpendicular direction display a nondispersive behavior below a cutoff wavenumber value, Q(c), indicating a nonpropagative excitation below that value. Molecular dynamics simulations results agree qualitatively with the experimental results.

CLAYS AND CLAY INTERCALATION COMPOUNDS:Properties and Physical Phenomena

▪ Abstract  The materials properties and physical phenomena exhibited by layered silicate clays and clay intercalation compounds, a subgroup of the general class of layered solids, are reviewed. The importance of layer rigidity is emphasized. Clays are compared and contrasted with the more familiar layered solids such as graphite and dichalcogenides. Some of the unusual structural features of clays including interstratification, swelling, and the lack of staging are discussed and explained qualitatively and quantitatively. Novel magnetic phenomena such as that associated with a disordered two-dimensional kagomé antiferromagnet formed in synthetic clays and the effect of co-intercalated water on the crystal field–induced magnetic ordering in natural clays are described and analyzed. The vibrational excitations in clays are addressed in terms of lattice dynamical models for the phonon dispersion curves. The theoretical models are compared with experimental measurements including neutron scattering and Raman spectroscopy.