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Figure 3 | Geochemical Transactions

Figure 3

From: Aggregation of montmorillonite and organic matter in aqueous media containing artificial seawater

Figure 3

Schematic representation of the electrical double layers (EDL) around a clay particle under low and high ionic strength conditions. The pH < pHpzc is assumed. (a) A model clay particle (domain). (b) Clay particle suspended in a low ionic strength solution. The EDL is comparable to the particle thickness, and as a result, EDL on edge surfaces are masked by EDL on face surfaces. (c) Clay particle suspended in a high ionic strength solution. EDL is relatively thin, and EDL on edge surfaces are exposed. As a result, there is electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged face and edge surfaces. After Tombacz and Szekeres (2006).

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