An obsolete, local term for montmorillonite from Confolens, Charente, France.

Congruent dissolution is where the same ratio of atoms present in the parent phase is released to the solution. This type of dissolution may be referred to as “stoichiometric” dissolution.
Cf., congruent melting, incongruent dissolution, incongruent melting

Upon heating to form a liquid, the liquid (melt) has the same composition as the solid.
Cf., congruent dissolution, incongruent dissolution, incongruent melting

An obsolete varietal term for willemseite.

See consolidation, clay or soil.

See consolidation, clay or soil.

The process by which a clay unit deforms as a result of drainage of pore water with non-equilibrium pressure produced by loading. During consolidation loading, the positive non-equilibrium pore water pressure causes water to flow out of the soil, resulting in a decrease in soil volume, also called consolidation settlement. The process of consolidation is usually accompanied by an increase in effective stress. This is different from drained shearing. In general, the loading rate for consolidation must be much smaller than drained shearing.
Cf., drained shearing, effective stress

For polymer nanocomposites, the volume around nanoparticles where the degree of freedom of movement of the polymer has been lowered. This region involves the interaction between the polymer and nanoparticle and is distinguished by having properties that are different from the bulk polymer properties. The volume of this region is dependent upon the strength of the interaction of the polymer and nanoparticle and the flexibility of the polymer. The concept, for example, explains why a gas diffusion coefficient of a polymer nanocomposite may differ from the bulk polymer. Gas diffusion may also be affected by the arrangement of clay particles that leads to a “tortuous path” and a reduction of diffusion through the nanocomposite.

A reaction vessel with inlet and outlet flow and whose contents are stirred. CSTRs are commonly operated at steady state, but they may alos function transiently.
Cf., batch reactor, chemostat, plug flow reactor

In soil science, soil or sand contraction involves the volumetric reduction of a saturated clayey soil or sand body by drained shearing. For a soft, normally consolidated or lightly over consolidated saturated clayey soil subject to drained shearing, pore water generally flows out of the soil (or sand) owing to shearing-induced positive excess pore water pressure, and hence its total volume decreases, indicative of contraction behavior.
Cf., dilation