Dynamics of absorbed water in saponite clay: Neutron scattering study

• Published in: Chemical physics letters Vol. 426; no. 4; pp. 296 - 300
• Main Authors: Chakrabarty, Debojit, Gautam, Siddharth, Mitra, S., Gil, Antonio, Vicente, Miguel A., Mukhopadhyay, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 04.08.2006
• ISSN: 0009-2614; 1873-4448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2006.05.131

This Letter concerns measurement of water dynamics associated within the interlamellar region of native saponite and ‘Al 13’ intercalated polycation, as investigated using the quasielastic neutron scattering technique. The dynamics is described by random jump diffusion model. Diffusivity is found to be larger in case of the Al 13 intercalated saponite than native saponite. Variation of half width at half maxima (HWHM) of the quasielastic spectra of the translational component with Q 2. Solid lines are the fit assuming random jump diffusion model. This report concerns measurement of water dynamics associated within the interlamellar region of native saponite and its tridecameric ‘Al 13’ intercalated polycation, as investigated using the quasielastic neutron scattering technique. The diffusion constant corresponding to the translational motion is found to be much lower as compared to that of bulk water that indicates the water adsorbed in between layers of saponite clays is dynamically hindered. The dynamics is described by a model in which the molecules undergo random jump diffusion. Diffusivity is found to be larger in case of the Al 13 intercalated saponite than native saponite because of the larger interlayer spacings in the former.