“…Phyllosilicate nanoparticles are also associated with higher surface areas than their bulk counterparts, but laboratory experiments suggest that smectite nanoparticles bind H 2 O more strongly than bulk smectite. As this bound H 2 O desorbs, the nanoparticles aggregate and coarsen, in turn, reducing the total surface area (Elprince et al, 2015). The kinetics of this reaction are not well characterized, but on analogy to other nanoparticle systems, dehydration may occur over the course of weeks to months under typical laboratory conditions.…”