Matter
Name
Smectite or illite sub-µm grains
Family
Family
mineral
Database
Experimentalists
Level
local matter
Origins
natural terrestrial
Provider
Bernard Schmitt, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), OSUG-D, 414, Rue de la Piscine, 38400 St-Martin d’Hères, France
Body name
Earth
Preparation
sieved fraction
Phase type
solid
Component type (group)
mineral (silicate mineral)
Texture
loose granular
Type of porosity
particulate
Grain sizes
Grains Size min Size max Size median Size width Size mass fraction Grain shape
#1 0.0 ${\mu}m$ 1.0 ${\mu}m$ 1.0 None
Size method
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images do not allow to measure "grain" sizes because of the peculiar structure of the phyllosilicate.
Number
5
Mode of mixing
homogeneous mixing
Materials
  Name Arrangement Mass (g) Mass fraction Abundance comments
Smectite The main mineral constituting this matter is either smectite or illite.
Illite The main mineral constituting this matter is either smectite or illite.
Microcline
Quartz
Kaolinite
Title
Grinding and sieving

Precursors

Matters

Produced matter

Matter
Smectite or illite sub-µm grains (this matter)
Processing steps
Step Date Type Process Changes
#1 mechanical Wet Grinding: the 25-50 µm powder was put into the grinding bowl of a planetary grinder with 500-µm diameter ZrO2 balls in ultra-pure ethanol for 150 minutes
#2 mechanical Wet Sieving: the grinded material was passed through a 25-µm sieve using ethanol
Publications