Effect of Particle Size on Potassium Sorption by Potassium-Depleted Phlogopite*

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
-Sorption of K from mixed KC1 and CaC12 solutions by K-depleted, Ca-saturated phlogopite was studied to determine the effect of particle size. The experiments were done at room temperature with 25 mg of K-depleted phlogopite samples in 50 ml solutions which were 0.002 N with respect to KCI and 0.02 N with respect to CaCI2. Sorption of K increased sharply with increase in particle size. The 54-75/zm fraction sorbed nearly all, whereas the 0-2-2/xm fraction sorbed less than half, of its depleted K. The 5-20/~m fraction sorbed an intermediate amount. This relationship is explained by the same hypothesis which accounts for the increase of K release with increase in particle size. That is, bending of unit mica layers due to peripheral expansion is greater in large and thick particles than in small and thin ones. This increased bending induces the greater K release from large particles. Similarly, bending due to peripheral collapse of hydrated layers is greater in large particles than in small ones. Thus, more energy is needed to initi- ate layer collapse and restrict further K uptake in the large particles which results in their greater K sorption capacity. These results imply that in natural conditions, as in soils, the coarse vermiculite and weathered mica fractions may be more effective in sorbing K from solution than their fine counterparts.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: