Neutron scattering quantification of unfrozen pore water in frozen mud
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Neutron scattering quantification of unfrozen pore water in frozen mud. / Gates, Will P.; Bordallo, Heloisa N.; Bouazza, Abdelmalek; Carnero-Guzman, Genaro Gonzalo; Aldridge, Laurence P.; Klapproth, Alice; Iles, Gail N.; Booth, Norman; Mole, Richard A.; Seydel, Tilo; Yu, Dehong; de Souza, Nicolas R.
In: Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, Vol. 324, 111267, 01.09.2021.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Neutron scattering quantification of unfrozen pore water in frozen mud
AU - Gates, Will P.
AU - Bordallo, Heloisa N.
AU - Bouazza, Abdelmalek
AU - Carnero-Guzman, Genaro Gonzalo
AU - Aldridge, Laurence P.
AU - Klapproth, Alice
AU - Iles, Gail N.
AU - Booth, Norman
AU - Mole, Richard A.
AU - Seydel, Tilo
AU - Yu, Dehong
AU - de Souza, Nicolas R.
PY - 2021/9/1
Y1 - 2021/9/1
N2 - The Earth's polar regions are experiencing a greater frequency of freeze-thaw events throughout the polar summer, contributing to atmospheric methane and destabilising clay-rich sediments. Clays in soils tightly bind pore water and thus substantially modify freeze-thaw events. While temperatures of phase transitions for confined pore water may be precisely assessed using calorimetric or thermal analyses to -30 or -40 degrees C, neutron scattering directly probes how pores in clay minerals control ice formation and melting to lower temperatures. We apply elastic neutron scattering to accurately quantify the unfrozen water content of clay gels and unambiguously identify different pore-water environments by their freezing temperatures. Using this approach, we conclude that cryosuction controls water mobility in frozen soils in the absence of soluble salts to much lower temperatures than observed by other techniques. Dyanmics determined from neutron scattering indicates that water in clay gel pores thaws at much lower temperatures than currently considered, and thus pose potential risks for contaminant migration at sub freezing temperatures. The general poor strength of wet clays can significantly impact infrastructure in cold regions undergoing an increased frequency of freeze-thaw events.
AB - The Earth's polar regions are experiencing a greater frequency of freeze-thaw events throughout the polar summer, contributing to atmospheric methane and destabilising clay-rich sediments. Clays in soils tightly bind pore water and thus substantially modify freeze-thaw events. While temperatures of phase transitions for confined pore water may be precisely assessed using calorimetric or thermal analyses to -30 or -40 degrees C, neutron scattering directly probes how pores in clay minerals control ice formation and melting to lower temperatures. We apply elastic neutron scattering to accurately quantify the unfrozen water content of clay gels and unambiguously identify different pore-water environments by their freezing temperatures. Using this approach, we conclude that cryosuction controls water mobility in frozen soils in the absence of soluble salts to much lower temperatures than observed by other techniques. Dyanmics determined from neutron scattering indicates that water in clay gel pores thaws at much lower temperatures than currently considered, and thus pose potential risks for contaminant migration at sub freezing temperatures. The general poor strength of wet clays can significantly impact infrastructure in cold regions undergoing an increased frequency of freeze-thaw events.
KW - Cyrosuction
KW - Gel pores
KW - Capillary pores
KW - Clays
KW - Neutron scattering
KW - SOIL
KW - DYNAMICS
KW - DESORPTION
KW - GELS
KW - NMR
KW - ICE
U2 - 10.1016/j.micromeso.2021.111267
DO - 10.1016/j.micromeso.2021.111267
M3 - Journal article
VL - 324
JO - Zeolites
JF - Zeolites
SN - 1387-1811
M1 - 111267
ER -
ID: 277226240