ABSTRACT
Bentonite clays are known to have magnetic permeability properties, but those properties have few, if any, direct applications in engineering. This chapter explains the effect of a weak magnetic field impressed upon water-based bentonite suspensions; and specifically its effect on final sedimentation patterns. It presents a summary of introduction to colloids and their behavior. The chapter also presents a description of the bentonite clays used in the experimental section. The experimental set-up, and associated magnetic field generation, defines the various tests conducted on the bentonite samples. The chapter discusses the results section, potential applications of the magneto-sedimentation phenomenon. A colloid is a substance that generally consists of two phases of matter—the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium. There can in fact be many more phases in complex colloids, however in the experiments shown below only two-phase colloids will be considered.
