RESUMO
Colloidal suspensions of Na-fluorohectorite synthetic clay platelets in saline water exhibit coexisting isotropic and nematic phases, due to gravitational separation of the polydisperse particles. We study the ordering of the platelets at the interfaces between various coexisting phases. Four different experimental techniques are employed: visual observation of birefringence, synchrotron wide angle and small-angle X-ray scattering, and magnetic resonance imaging. We find that at the narrow isotropic sol-nematic sol interface the platelets are lying horizontally, i.e. with their mean platelet normal along the vertical direction. The experiments indicate that the platelets align homeotropically both at the isotropic sol-nematic sol interface and at the nematic sol-wall interface. We further investigate the complex alignment effect of a horizontally applied magnetic field in the nematic sol, and we compare it with the adjacent nematic gel.
RESUMO
The anisotropy of the diffusivity of water molecules, probed via (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance imaging techniques, is used to study the extremely slow dynamics in the nematic phase of synthetic Na-fluorhectorite platelets in aqueous suspension. The anisotropy of the diamagnetic susceptibility of the platelets Deltachi, and the torque experienced in an applied magnetic field, permit one to monitor the time evolution starting from two different initial conditions. The dynamics of the ordered platelets can be modeled by a one-dimensional Fokker-Planck equation, which permits a satisfactory description of the experimental results. From the torque-free evolution, one concludes that the process is diffusive with an extremely slow rotational diffusivity D(phi) = 9.9 x 10(- 3) rad(2)/h. The forced evolution requires a numerical solution of the full Fokker-Planck equation and yields an effective, per platelet, diamagnetic susceptibility anisotropy Deltachi = - 1.63 x 10(- 20) J/T(2).
RESUMO
We employ nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to study water penetration in cylindrical blocks of unsized paper prepared under different molding pressures. From the measured kinetics of the imbibition profiles, we determine the dependence of the effective transport diffusivity upon degree of saturation of the pores by the penetrating fluid. In general, the transport process is found to be non-Fickian and we discuss different methods of data analysis adapted to this situation. The effective transport diffusivity vividly captures the presence of a precursor front, consisting of fluid in partially filled pores, with a much higher effective diffusivity than that of fluid in largely saturated pores.
RESUMO
Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging measurements of liquid water ingress in a large number of nonactivated Y-type (Na) zeolite samples prepared under different conditions are reported on. Using an experimental arrangement that permits the application of Boltzmann's transformation of the 1D (one-dimensional) diffusion equation, the spatiotemporal scaling variables required for a collapse of the measured profiles into universal curves revealed subdiffusive behavior in all cases. It is shown that the one-dimensional fractal time diffusion equation constitutes a powerful tool to analyze the data and provides a connection between the moisture dependence of the effective transport diffusivities and the shapes of the universal curves. Thus, even for anomalous diffusion, the relationship between the universal curves and structural characteristics of the system; such as porosity, tortuosity of the pore space and, in some cases, the interplay between mesopores and nanopores can be addressed.
RESUMO
Magnetic resonance imaging is employed to study water ingress in fine zeolite powders compacted by high pressure. The experimental conditions are chosen such that the applicability of Boltzmann's transformation of the one-dimensional diffusion equation is approximately satisfied. The measured moisture profiles indicate subdiffusive behavior with a spatiotemporal scaling variable eta=x/t(gamma/2) (0
