Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Clay minerals are abundant in nature and play a crucial role in various industries such as construction, agriculture, and environmental engineering. Understanding the physio-chemical properties of clay is essential for optimizing its usage in different applications. This research project focuses on investigating the physio-chemical properties of clay through laboratory analysis. The study involves collecting clay samples from different sources and regions to capture the variability in properties. Various laboratory techniques are employed to analyze the samples, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) for mineral composition identification, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for microstructure analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for chemical bonding characterization. The XRD analysis provides insights into the mineral composition of clay, identifying dominant minerals such as kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite. These minerals significantly influence the properties of clay, such as plasticity, cation exchange capacity, and swelling behavior. The SEM analysis helps in understanding the microstructure of clay, including particle size, shape, and arrangement, which are critical for assessing its engineering properties. FTIR spectroscopy is used to study the chemical bonding in clay minerals, which offers information on the presence of functional groups like hydroxyl, siloxane, and aluminol groups. These functional groups play a vital role in determining the reactivity and adsorption capabilities of clay. Understanding the chemical bonding also aids in predicting the behavior of clay in different environments, such as acidic or alkaline conditions. Moreover, the research investigates the specific surface area and porosity of clay samples using nitrogen adsorption analysis. These properties are crucial for applications like catalysis, filtration, and adsorption, where the surface area directly influences the material's performance. The findings from this study provide comprehensive insights into the physio-chemical properties of clay, facilitating a deeper understanding of its behavior and potential applications. The results contribute to the existing knowledge on clay minerals and can guide the selection of suitable clays for specific industrial purposes. Overall, this research enhances our knowledge of clay materials and their diverse characteristics, paving the way for improved utilization and innovation in various fields.

Thesis Overview

Clay is a common name for a number of fine grained earthly materials that become plastic and tenacious when moist, and that becomes permanently hard when baked or fired. According to (Velde, 1995), clay is applied to materials having a particle size less than 2 micrometers and to the family of minerals that has similar chemical composition and common crystal structural characteristics.

Clay is formed either as a product of the chemical weathering of pre-existing granitic rock and feldspar minerals particularly in warm tropical and subtropical regions of the world or as a result of the hydrothermal alteration of granitic rocks. Chemically clays are hydrous aluminum silicate, ordinarily containing impurities, for example potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, or iron in small amounts and are characterized by sheet silicate structures of composite layers stacked along the c-axis (Grim 1968).

Clay has wide characteristics of physical characteristics such as plasticity, shrinkage under firing and under drying, fineness of grain, colour after drying, hardness, cohesion and capacity of the surface to take decoration.

Clay and clay minerals have been mined sine stone age and have been indispensable in architecture in industry and agriculture.

1.1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.  To investigate the physio-chemical properties of clay through laboratory analysis.

2.  To understand the mineralogy of clay through laboratory analysis.