Swapna Mukherjee

Clays as Neutralizers against Environmental Protection

To understand the role of clays in nature and their beneficial effects, it is important to have the preliminary knowledge about origin of clays and their transformation in nature.

Uses of Clays in Waste Managements: Toxic and Non-toxic

Solid waste is the unwanted or useless solid materials generated from combined residential, industrial and commercial activities in a given area. It may be categorised according to its origin (domestic, industrial, commercial, construction or institutional); according to its contents (organic material, glass, metal, plastic paper etc.); or according to hazard potential (toxic, non-toxin, flammable, radioactive, infectious etc.). Management of solid waste reduces or eliminates adverse impacts on the environment and human health and supports economic development and improved quality of life.

Use of Clays as Drilling Fluids and Filters

In geotechnical engineering, drilling fluid is a fluid used to drill boreholes into the earth. In drilling rigs, drilling fluids help to do drill for exploration of oil and natural gas. Liquid drilling fluid is often called drilling mud.

Physical Properties of Clay and Soil Mechanics

Clay mineral particles are commonly too small for measuring precise optical properties. Specific gravity of most clay minerals are within the range from 2 to 3.3. Their hardness generally falls below 2.5. Refractive indices of clay minerals generally fall within a relatively narrow range from 1.47 to 1.68. Generally the size and shape, the two properties, are determined by electron micrographs.

Minerals and Their Chemical Classification

A mineral, by definition, is any naturally (not man-made) occurring inorganic (not a result of life plant or animal) substance. Its chemical structure can be exact, or can vary. All minerals belong to a chemical group, which represents their affiliation with certain elements or compounds. The science of mineralogy has spanned over several decades owing to its importance in various aspects. Knowledge of minerals of variable sources becomes essential for its application in metallurgy, gem-industry etc.

Analytical Techniques for Clay Studies

To identify a material under study, its various properties are analyzed using different techniques. Analytical techniques utilize the interaction of incident entity (in the form of electromagnetic waves of different frequencies or particles like electrons etc.) with the sample to get the relevant information through detailed analysis of the output data.

Traditional and Modern Uses of Ceramics, Glass and Refractories

The word “ceramic” comes from the Greek word “keramikos”, “of pottery” or “for pottery.” A ceramic is an inorganic, non-metallic often crystalline oxide, nitride or carbide material made by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. During the heating and cooling non-crystalline ceramics also can be formed.

Clays: Industrial Applications and Their Determinants

The easy availability of clays in almost all inhabitable places on earth and its certain characteristic properties facilitate its diverse use in the human civilisation since prehistoric time. The clays were widely used in building muddy huts or in the production of bricks, potteries etc. even in the most primitive forms of cultures. In the present age, the uses of clays and clay minerals are increasing day by day, and they are gradually replacing metals in various fields as cheaper, better and environment-friendly alternatives.

Classification and Composition of Clay Constituents

Most of the solid components of the Earth’s crust, i.e. rocks, sediments, clays etc. are largely made up of various mineral species. A mineral species is defined as: A naturally occurring, inorganic, homogeneous solid, having a definite (but not necessarily fixed) chemical composition and a fixed, ordered internal structure, i.e. crystalline. This ordered internal structure is reflected in the external morphology when the mineral has a well crystalline form. When the crystalline form is not perceptible externally called cryptocrystalline, its crystalline nature can be detected by scientific analytical techniques like X-Ray Diffraction. Amorphous natural solids like coal, volcanic glasses etc. do not qualify as minerals. The abundance of any mineral in the Earth is decided by the availability of the constituent elements of the mineral in the earth’s crust and also the stability of that mineral in the surface or near-surface environment.

Clay and Associated Minerals in Battery Industry

Manganese is found in combination with iron and in many minerals in nature. Some manganese minerals are pyrolusite (MnO2), braunite (3Mn2O3.MnSiO3), rhodochrosite (MnCO3), rhodonite (MnSiO3), manganite (Mn2O3.H2O) etc. Manganese ore is produced in huge quantity in India.