The effect of mineralogical and cationic heterogeneities on rheological properties of suspensions with Li-smectites, extracted from Volclay MX-80

The rheological study of colloidal suspensions contributes to the understanding of the aggregation phenomena of colloidal particles within a suspended fluid. The infra-2-μm (equivalent diameter) fraction of a bulk material, Volclay MX-80 bentonite was intensively analysed in order to understand the relative rheological data scattering observed with Li-smectite suspensions, prepared with the usual saturation procedure. A good mineralogical characterisation, especially for secondary minerals, coupled to a verification of cation exchanges on clayey fraction allowed us to propose a new way for investigating the observed differences of the bentonites rheological behaviour. Indeed, for a well Li-saturated smectite obtained from the purified infra-2-μm fraction, rheological data proved to be very accurate and perfectly reproducible. This emphasises the role of other minerals as well as the commonly observed discrepancy between the rheological behaviours of natural and industrial bentonites.