Flow Behavior of Clays Amended by Superhydrophobic Additives

A novel superhydrophobic, chemical-resistant, hybrid inorganic-organic, polymer additive was recently synthesized as soil amendments to finely tune the flow behavior of various soils for functional applications. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the flow and conduction behavior of clays amended by the superhydrophobic additive with the consideration of water as the permeant. Results show that the superhydrophobic additive can transform a wetting, permeable, but dry clay powder into a non-wetting, impermeable barrier at low hydraulic gradients. However, when mixed with wet clay slurry, it can significantly accelerate the consolidation process of clays. The improvement to the water-based flow and conduction behavior enables the amended soils to function as an ideal material for many viable yet challenging applications.