• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.318-324
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• 1983

Electrochemical properties of Georgia kaolinite in aqueous suspension were studied by ion adsorption, potentiometric titration, and electrophoretic mobility measurements. Kaolinite in 0.001 M and 0.1 M NaCl solution showed qualitatively both pH independent and pH depender negative and positive charges through pH range 2.5-11.0 when dissolved aluminum ions from kaolinite were considered as well as $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ as index ions. Electrophoretic mobilities (EM) of 0.02 wt. % kaolinite suspension in distilled water and 0.001 M NaCl solution were approximately constant against mobility measuring time consumed in the electrophoresis cell at different pH values, and isoelectric points(IEP) were around pH 4.7. EM values in 0.1 M NaCl solution were positive and constant against mobility measuring time below pH 4; but above pH 4, EM values were negative for the first 10 seconds followed by positive values which became approximately constant through stepped changes after 10 minutes. Hydrated cations may bind to the six- member oxygen ring sites having multiple partial negative charges on the exterior tetrahedral layer surface by both electrostatic and hydrogen bonding force while hydrated anions bind to the partially positively charged hydrogen atoms on the exterior octahedral layer surface. Parts of the aluminol groups on the exterior octahedral layer surface as well as edge faces may be involved in complex reactions and have both anion and cation exchange capacities in the electrolyte solution above pH 4.