Smectite alteration and its influence on the barrier properties of smectite clay for a repository

Abstract Hydrothermal tests were conducted to investigate smectite alteration and its influence on the barrier properties of a smectite clay for a repository. Examinations of the X-ray diffraction patterns of the starting material and reacted samples and the silica release rate in the solution revealed that the smectite was transformed into randomly interstratified illite–smectite by a smectite-to-illite conversion when it was hydrothermally treated under a potassium concentration of 0.5 M, maintaining a 1 g/20 ml of solid sample-to-solution ratio. Temperature was observed to be a key factor controlling the conversion reaction. The smectite alteration affected the barrier properties of smectite clay for a repository: when the temperature increased, the percentage of the expandable smectite layers in the randomly interstratified illite–smectite decreased, the layer charge was more negative, and the cation exchange capacity and the sorption capacity for the cesium and nickel ions were reduced.