Self-diffusion of water molecules after contact with silicon-containing compounds

Abstract

Influence of crystalline and amorphous silica on the diffusion coefficients of water molecules according to the experimental data on quasi-elastic scattering of slow neutrons is quantified. It was established that after the contact of silicon-containing compounds of natural origin chalcedony and spongolit with water, the mechanisms of its self-diffusion are significantly changed: self-diffusion is carried out only by the mechanism of continuous diffusion; the magnitude of the total self-diffusion coefficient of water molecules decreases and there is no contribution from the activation mechanism of self-diffusion by at least 24 hours after separation of the solid phase from the liquid. The pyrogenic amorphous silica has relatively little effect on the diffusion of water molecules.

Keywords

• quasi-elastic scattering of slow neutrons
• self diffusion coefficient
• crystal-like and amorphous silica
• silicon-containing compounds
• aerosil
• spongolit
• chalcedony.