Speaker
Description
The purpose of this study is to assess structural changes in three clays following exposure to high gamma radiation. Clays' distinct physicochemical properties—particularly their sorption capacities—make them useful in a wide range of industries and basic research. It is essential to investigate the interactions between radiation and these materials to think about their potential applications in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research, such as chemical evolution, waste disposal, and the sorption of emerging contaminants.
For this study, samples of kaolinite, hectorite, and Na-montmorillonite clays were exposed to high gamma radiation dosages. We examined structural changes in clays using ATR-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Dihydroxylation, the development of paramagnetic defects, and vacancies in hectorite and kaolinite that marginally alter the crystal structure were the primary changes seen in the irradiation clays. Additionally, in hectorite and kaolinite, the irradiation caused Si-O splitting in the tetrahedral sheet.