Comparison of the Fabric of a Sensitive Pleistocene Clay with Laboratory Flocculated Clay using the Scanning Electron Microscope

Clay Flake Orientation- in Flocculated Illite-An Electron Microscope Study

“…This orientation may simply reflect the attraction of the positive clay edge for a negative flake surface as described by Tan (1958). Alternately, it may be possible that one is observing actual stepped face-to-face flocculation similar to that found to exist in freeze-dried kaolinite floccules (O'Brien and Suito, 1969). It does seem possible that under the laboratory conditions of flocculation (high clay concentration or an electrolyte solution) the double layer on each clay flake may be compressed, thus increasing in importance van der Waal forces of atrraction-a likely mechanism to promote face-to-face flocculation.…”