Electrokinetic Properties of Surfactant Modified Clays

Because of its low permeability, clays are the main material used in solid waste disposal landfills as a liner. It is exposed there to various chemical, biological and physical events, and the clay is affected by the resulting leachate. For this reason, the researchers are interested in surfactants and polymers to modify clays for improving their engineering properties. The aim of this paper is to prepare the surfactant modified clay and is also to research the effect of surfactants on the some electrokinetic properties (zeta potential, electrical conductivity, pH, cation exchange capacity) of clay. For this reason, the clay is modified by surfactants for improving their engineering properties. In this study; three different surfactants (tirimetilglisin, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, sodium lauryl ether sulfate) were used to research the electrokinetic properties of clay samples. From the test results the modified clays gave the lower EC and pH values than those of natural clay and the cation exchange capacities were significantly changed as compared with those of natural clay.