Preface

**Section 3 Clay in Medical Applications 121**

**VI** Contents

**Drug Release 123**

Nitu and Raluca Ianchis

**Applications 167**

Chapter 7 **Calcium Phosphate/Clay Nanotube Bone Cement with Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Sustained**

Chapter 8 **The Effect of Clay Type on the Physicochemical Properties of New Hydrogel Clay Nanocomposites 147**

Chapter 9 **Development of Clay Nanoparticles Toward Bio and Medical**

Udayabhanu Jammalamadaka, Karthik Tappa and David K. Mills

Tatiana Munteanu, Claudia Mihaela Ninciuleanu, Ioana Catalina Gifu, Bogdan Trica, Elvira Alexandrescu, Augusta Raluca Gabor, Silviu Preda, Cristian Petcu, Cristina Lavinia Nistor, Sabina Georgiana

Seyyed Mojtaba Mousavi, Seyyed Alireza Hashemi, Sarvenaz Salahi, Mojgan Hosseini, Ali Mohammad Amani and Aziz Babapoor

It is not surprising that due to their common availability and extraordinary properties, clays are currently receiving so much attention in science and engineering. In addition to their multidisciplinary endeavor, there is a need to bring together the scattered literature on the varied disciplines that make up clay science and engineering. This book presents recent de‐ velopments and research activities that highlight the importance of clay science and engi‐ neering in the environment and medical and civil engineering. The book contains nine chapters separated into three main sections: (1) Clay for the Environment, (2) Clay in Civil Engineering, and (3) Clay in Medical Applications. There are four chapters in the first sec‐ tion and the focus is on topics related to an introduction to the natural sources and chemical structure of one of the important clay types, montmorillonite. The application of waste recy‐ cling and the removal of arsenic and fluoride are the focus of the next two chapters. In addi‐ tion, a technique for corrosion protection is presented as the fourth chapter within this section. In the second section, special emphasis has been placed on the importance and ap‐ plication of clay in civil engineering, which is demonstrated in two chapters. In the third section, new research and development in utilizing clay minerals in medical applications is presented. Intended for readers wishing to acquire an understanding of the current trends in clay science and engineering and comprehension of the issue, this book addresses exciting topics in this field.

#### **Mansoor Zoveidavianpoor, PhD**

Sr. Petroleum Engineer National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC)—Arvandan Oil and Gas Company (AOGC) Khorramshahr, Khuzestan, Iran

**Section 1**

**Clay for the Environment**

**Clay for the Environment**

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Montmorillonite: An Introduction to Properties and**

**Montmorillonite: An Introduction to Properties and** 

Clay mineral is an important material available in nature. With an increasing understanding of clay structure, montmorillonite is realized viable for an enhanced performance in a variety of materials and products in the areas of catalysis, food additive, antibacterial function, polymer, sorbent, etc. Significant development in the use and application of montmorillonite is seen in recent time. This chapter provides an overview of montmorillonite, structure, and properties and particularly discusses its recent utilization in important materials. Montmorillonite is introduced in terms of its natural sources, chemical structure, physical and chemical properties, and functional utilization. The important physical and chemical properties are summarized as particle and layered structure, molecular structure and cation exchange effect, barrier property, and water sorption. This is followed by the important functional utilizations of montmorillonite based on the effects of its chemical structure. The important functional utilization of montmorillonite includes food additive for health and stamina, for antibacterial activity against tooth and gum decay, as sorbent for nonionic, anionic, and cationic dyes, and the use as catalyst in organic synthesis. The environment concerns, to date, do not indicate the adversity for particles used as additive. Studies will be useful which are clearly based on any montmo-

> © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Historically, clay mineral has long benefitted human life and civilization. Being an integral part of earth, its history is older than the creation of man. The divine script of Holy Quran confirmed that man was created using clay. This indicates that clay mineral was present before

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77987

**Utilization**

**Utilization**

Faheem Uddin

Faheem Uddin

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

rillonite structure to describe environmental effects.

**Keywords:** clay, montmorillonite, bentonite, water, cationic exchange

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77987

#### **Montmorillonite: An Introduction to Properties and Utilization Montmorillonite: An Introduction to Properties and Utilization**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.77987

#### Faheem Uddin Faheem Uddin

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.77987

#### **Abstract**

Clay mineral is an important material available in nature. With an increasing understanding of clay structure, montmorillonite is realized viable for an enhanced performance in a variety of materials and products in the areas of catalysis, food additive, antibacterial function, polymer, sorbent, etc. Significant development in the use and application of montmorillonite is seen in recent time. This chapter provides an overview of montmorillonite, structure, and properties and particularly discusses its recent utilization in important materials. Montmorillonite is introduced in terms of its natural sources, chemical structure, physical and chemical properties, and functional utilization. The important physical and chemical properties are summarized as particle and layered structure, molecular structure and cation exchange effect, barrier property, and water sorption. This is followed by the important functional utilizations of montmorillonite based on the effects of its chemical structure. The important functional utilization of montmorillonite includes food additive for health and stamina, for antibacterial activity against tooth and gum decay, as sorbent for nonionic, anionic, and cationic dyes, and the use as catalyst in organic synthesis. The environment concerns, to date, do not indicate the adversity for particles used as additive. Studies will be useful which are clearly based on any montmorillonite structure to describe environmental effects.

**Keywords:** clay, montmorillonite, bentonite, water, cationic exchange
