• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.302-310
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• 1990

A study has been made of the Korean bentonite aqueous suspension contrast with American bentonite by means of XRD IR swelling, gel formation and rheogram at various conditions such as concentration, temperature and pH. The Korean bentonite was identified as montmorillonite clay containig a small proprotion of crystoballite and mordenite, and its swelling power were acceptable for requirements of Korean pharmacopeia regulations though its values were not satisfied. Korean bentonite swelled to 10 times and American one did to 15 times compared to its bulkiness of powder. The rheogram of Korean bentonite suspension reveals bulged pseudoplatic flow with yield value at higher concentration and pseudoplastic flow without yield value at lower concentration. The higher the concentration, the greater were the apparent viscosity and hysteresis loop. Korean bentonite suspension showed insignificant temperature dependence on both apparent viscosity and hysteresis loop and it was more temperature dependent on viscosity but less on hysteresis loop than those of American sample. The pH dependence was so high on viscosity that apparent minimum value was near pH 7 and maximum value at pH 3 or 7. The hysteresis loop appeared minimum over the pH range 5-7 and maximum near pH 3 or 11. The Korean bentonite was inferior to the American bentonite in swelling volume, gel formation, thioxotropy, however, it would be possible to improve the quality of Korean bentonite by developing the method of purification for bentonite clay.