Effect of interlayer cations on montmorillonite swelling; Comparison between molecular dynamic simulations and experiments

Yotsuji, Kenji*; Tachi, Yukio; Sakuma, Hiroshi*; Kawamura, Katsuyuki*

Applied Clay Science, 204, p.106034_1 - 106034_13, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2021.106034

Pore distribution of compacted Ca-montmorillonite using NMR relaxometry and cryoporometry; Comparison with Na-montmorillonite

Okubo, Takahiro*; Yamazaki, Akio*; Fukatsu, Yuta; Tachi, Yukio

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 313, p.110841_1 - 110841_11, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2020.110841

Pore distributions in water-saturated Ca-montmorillonite were investigated using H NMR measurements under various dry densities (0.8 - 1.6 g/cm) and porewater salinity conditions (deionized water, 0.1 and 1 M CaCl), at the temperature range of 233 - 303 K. The volume fractions of the interlayer pore including two and three hydrated layers and the non-interlayer pore in compacted Ca-montmorillonite were quantified by NMR relaxometry including and distribution analysis, and were compared with NMR cryoporometry and X-ray diffractometry. These analysis provided consistent pictures on the pore distributions in compacted Ca-montmorillonite, in contrast to Na-montmorillonite. The main factor affecting the pore distribution in compacted Ca- and Na-montmorillonite is the density, whereas the effect of porewater salinity is relatively smaller. The effect of interlayer cations is also relatively smaller at higher density, although the differences in the pore structures are significant at low density.

3D-microstructure analysis of compacted Na- and Cs-montmorillonites with nanofocus X-ray computed tomography and correlation with macroscopic transport properties

Takahashi, Hiroaki*; Tachi, Yukio

Applied Clay Science, 168, p.211 - 222, 2019/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2018.11.008

Microstructural and mass transport properties of compacted Na- and Cs-montmorillonites with different swelling properties were investigated by combining 3D microstructure analysis using nanofocus X-ray CT and diffusion measurement of HDO. The X-ray CT observations indicated that macropores in the dry state of compacted Na-montmorillonite are filled with gel phases, and the grain sizes of clay particles shifted toward smaller values through the saturation and swelling processes. By contrast, no gel phase and no decrease in the grain and pore volumes were observed for saturated Cs-montmorillonite. The geometrical factors of the macropores including tortuosity and geometric constrictivity of saturated Cs-montmorillonite determined by the X-ray CT was consistent with the corresponding values derived in the HDO diffusion test. In the case of Na-montmorillonite, the larger differences between the geometric factors evaluated by the X-ray CT and the diffusion tests can be explained by the electrostatic constrictivity factor and the additional geometrical factors in gel phase and interlayer that are smaller than the detection limit of the X-ray CT.

Diffusion and adsorption of uranyl ion in clays; Molecular dynamics study

Arima, Tatsumi*; Idemitsu, Kazuya*; Inagaki, Yaohiro*; Kawamura, Katsuyuki*; Tachi, Yukio; Yotsuji, Kenji

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 92, p.286 - 297, 2016/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2016.03.006

Diffusion and adsorption behavior of uranyl (UO) species is important for the performance assessment of radioactive waste disposal. The diffusion behaviors of UO, K, CO and Cl and HO in the aqueous solutions were evaluated by molecular dynamics (MD) calculations. The diffusion coefficient (De) of UO is the smallest and is 26% less than the self-diffusion coefficient of HO. For the aqueous solution with high concentration of carbonate ions, uranyl carbonate complexes: UOCO and UO(CO) can be observed. For the clay (montmorillonite or illite)-aqueous solution systems, the adsorption and diffusion behaviors of UO and K were evaluated by MD calculations. The distribution coefficients (Kd) increase with the layer charge of clay, and Kd of UO might be smaller than that of K. Further, their two-dimensional diffusion coefficients were relatively small in the adsorption layer and were extremely small for illite with higher layer charge.

Pore distribution of water-saturated compacted clay using NMR relaxometry and freezing temperature depression; Effects of density and salt concentration

Okubo, Takahiro*; Ibaraki, Moe*; Tachi, Yukio; Iwadate, Yasuhiko*

Applied Clay Science, 123, p.148 - 155, 2016/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2016.01.014

The pore distribution of water-saturated compacted clay (Na-montmorillonite at 0.8 and 1.4 g/cm saturated by three salt concentrations) was evaluated using H NMR relaxometry and freezing point depression. The populations of interlayer water with four hydrated state and non-interlayer water were calculated from the assumed thresholds. The sample with lower density exhibits higher population of non-interlayer water up to 55%. Low-temperature H NMR experiments in view of freezing point depression indicated that mesopore water in approximately 4 nm space observed in the calorimetric study was considered as non-interlayer water and the threshold temperature. The result showed that population of non-interlayer water by expected from freezing point depression agreed with H NMR relaxometry within 10%. Correlation experiments between longitudinal () and transverse relation times () at -10C suggested that high-mobility bulk-like water molecules existed at a clay density of 1.4 g/cm.

Local structure around cesium in montmorillonite, vermiculite and zeolite under wet condition

Tsuji, Takuya; Matsumura, Daiju; Kobayashi, Toru; Suzuki, Shinichi; Yoshii, Kenji; Nishihata, Yasuo; Yaita, Tsuyoshi

Clay Science, 18(4), p.93 - 97, 2014/12

Cross-machine benchmarking for ITER of neoclassical tearing mode stabilization by electron cyclotron current drive

La Haye, R. J.*; Prater, R.*; Buttery, R. J.*; Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Isayama, Akihiko; Maraschek, M. E.*; Urso, L.*; Zohm, H.*

Nuclear Fusion, 46(4), p.451 - 461, 2006/04

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/46/4/006

no abstracts in English

Role of anomalous transport in onset and evolution of neoclassical tearing modes

Konovalov, S. V.; Mikhailovskii, A. B.*; Ozeki, Takahisa; Takizuka, Tomonori; Shirokov, M. S.*; Hayashi, Nobuhiko

Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 47(12B), p.B223 - B236, 2005/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/47/12B/S17

Neoclassical Tearing Modes, NTMs, are known to limit the maximum attainable plasma pressure, degrade confinement and, at worst, culminate in disruption of the tokamak discharges. Key role in NTM evolution belongs to the radial profiles of the plasma flow, temperature and density which are determined by the conjunction of the longitudinal and cross-filed transport arising from thermal conduction, particle diffusion, and viscosity. In this report the influence of anomalous perpendicular heat transport and anomalous ion perpendicular viscosity on early stage of the NTM evolution is studied theoretically.

The "Hybrid" scenario in JET; Towards its validation for ITER

Joffrin, E.*; Sips, A. C. C.*; Artaud, J. F.*; Becoulet, A.*; Bertalot, L.*; Budny, R.*; Buratti, P.*; Belo, P.*; Challis, C. D.*; Crisanti, F.*; et al.

Nuclear Fusion, 45(7), p.626 - 634, 2005/07

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/45/7/010

no abstracts in English

Application of micro-PIXE to quantitative analysis of heavy elements sorbed on minerals

Kozai, Naofumi; Mitamura, Hisayoshi; Onuki, Toshihiko; Sakai, Takuro; Sato, Takahiro; Oikawa, Masakazu*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 231(1-4), p.530 - 535, 2005/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2005.01.112

Applicability of micro-PIXE analysis to quantitative evaluation of heavy elements sorbed on minerals was investigated to get better understanding of sorption and distribution of heavy elements onto mixture of minerals in soil. For this, external standards, that is, heavy element-sorbing minerals of uniform shape and size, were analyzed by micro-PIXE. It was found that such external standards were available to quantitative evaluation by micro-PIXE though their applicability may be limited.