The hydration and protonic conductivity of H-montmorillonite were investigated. The hydration water state was characterized by DTA, TGA and XRD at different environmental relative humidities. The results, showing good reproducibility and consistency, mark 2 distinguishable categories of hydration water: molecular H2O and H3O+ species, those coordinated with the proton. The proportion of each was quantitatively analyzed. The 20C electrical conductivity measured by impedance spectroscopy increased, with relative humidity, from 10-7S/cm at 0.2 to 0.6 x 10-2S/cm at 0.9.

Investigation of Hydration and Protonic Conductivity of H-Montmorillonite. N.Aliouane, A.Hammouche, R.W.De