Swelling of Montmorillonite in Polar Organic Liquids

The crystalline and osmotic swelling of Na-, Cs-, Mg- and Ca-montmorillonite has been measured in dimethyl sulphoxide and in formamide, N-methyl formamide, dimethyl formamide, N-methyl acetamide and dimethyl acetamide. These liquids have similar dipole moments but their relative permittivities vary appreciably from values less than water to values greater than water. Na-montmorillonite exhibits osmotic swelling (diffuse double layer development −d(001) ≫ 19 Å) in formamide and N-methyl formamide and Cs gives osmotic swelling behavior in formamide. Cs-montmorillonite in the crystalline swelling region give spacings greater than those found for water with all liquids. Mg- and Ca-montmorillonite did not give spacings greater than 19 Å in any of the liquids studied. The swelling behavior of montmorillonite is affected by relative permittivity but for liquids with a similar relative permittivity methyl substitution in the molecule may prevent the development of diffuse double layers on the particle surfaces.