Clay Reactivity

This lecture explores the reactivity of clay particles, focusing on their large permanent charge, surface area, structure, and cation exchange mechanisms. It discusses the application of clay in plant nutrient storage in soil and nuclear waste isolation. The lecture delves into the specific characteristics of clays, their role in soil and agriculture, and their use as engineered barriers for toxic waste isolation. It also covers the thermodynamics of cation exchange, electrical balance of surface charge, interlayer molecular dynamics, and the role of edge sites in clay particle reactivity. Additionally, it examines clay particle heterogeneous nucleation, edge cation adsorption, and the geological storage of nuclear waste in clay stone formations.