Determination of Surface Area of Fine-Grained Soils by the Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME) Method

Abstract

This paper describes a test procedure for determining the total surface area of fine-grained soils using the Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (EGME). The test involves saturating a soil sample with EGME and then removing the excess EGME in a vacuum desiccator, until the EGME forms a monomolecular layer on the soil surface. The results of the test are expressed as Specific Surface Area (SSA), which describes the surface area/unit mass of dry soil with units of m2/g. Test results are presented demonstrating the effect of various test parameters on the results. Results for a number of different fine-grained soils are presented. A detailed recommended test procedure is given. The proposed method uses simple and inexpensive laboratory equipment, is relatively simple to perform, and allows for rapid determination of SSA.

Workability, compressibility and hydraulic conductivity of zeolite-amended clayey soil/calcium-bentonite backfills for slurry-trench cutoff walls

“…The grain size distribution of the materials is measured by a Mastersizer 2000. The total surface area is determined by the ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) method suggested by Cerato and Luteneggerl (2002). The dominant minerals of the kaolin and bentonite are kaolinite and montmorillonite, respectively, based on the X-ray diffraction analysis.…”

Broadband electrical properties of clays and shales: Comparative investigations of remolded and preserved samples

“…These underwent additional mineralogical analysis to investigate the physicochemical mechanisms giving rise to the dielectric response. The SSA was determined using sorption of 2-ethoxyethanol (EGME) (Kellomäki et al, 1987;Cerato and Lutenegger, 2002) (see Appendix A), which is chosen because of its suitability for investigating interlayer surfaces in swelling clays ( Table 1). The CEC was determined using methylene blue (MB) and the tetrasodium pyrophosphate method of Wang et al (1996) (see Appendix A).…”

“…The SSA was determined using sorption of EGME (Kellomäki et al, 1987;Cerato and Lutenegger, 2002), which is chosen because of its suitability for investigating interlayer surfaces in swelling clays. A sample of 1-2 g of powder is dried at 110°C to drive off as much water as possible.…”

Sorption of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds on Natural Sorbents and Organoclays from Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Solutions: A Mini-Review

“…The ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) method has been used to calculate both the external and internal specific surface area of the soils (interlayer surfaces of soils and clays) [26,105,106]. In different studies done using kaolinite from different locations it was found that the specific surface area of kaolinite was 25.5 m 2 ·g −1 [107], 5.9 m 2 ·g −1 [108] and 15 m 2 ·g −1 [106]. It has been stated in the literature that non-expanding soils like kaolinite have SSA values ranging from 10 m 2 ·g −1 to 40 m 2 ·g −1 [106].…”

“…In different studies done using kaolinite from different locations it was found that the specific surface area of kaolinite was 25.5 m 2 ·g −1 [107], 5.9 m 2 ·g −1 [108] and 15 m 2 ·g −1 [106]. It has been stated in the literature that non-expanding soils like kaolinite have SSA values ranging from 10 m 2 ·g −1 to 40 m 2 ·g −1 [106]. …”