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HONG KONG UNIVERISITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (UROP) SUMMER 2012/2013

THE EXPLORATORY STUDY OF ON THE APPLICATIONS OF TRANSPARENT SOILS


By CHOW Jun Kang

Contents
HONG KONG UNIVERISITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY....................1 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (UROP)...........1 SUMMER 2012/2013.................................................................................................1 THE EXPLORATORY STUDY OF ON THE APPLICATIONS OF TRANSPARENT SOILS..................................................................................................................................1 Contents...............................................................................................................................2 Abstract................................................................................................................................2 Literature Review.................................................................................................................3 Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene...........................................................................................4 Material Selection............................................................................................................4 Solutions Chosen.............................................................................................................5 Surface Treatment............................................................................................................5 Testing Program, Result and Discussion.........................................................................6 Silica Gel .............................................................................................................................6 Material Selection............................................................................................................6 Solution Chosen...............................................................................................................6 Testing Program, Result and Discussion.........................................................................7 Improvement........................................................................................................................7 De-airing process.............................................................................................................7 Surface treatment.............................................................................................................7 Disturbance on the light energy.......................................................................................8 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................8

Abstract
Experimental models to measure spatial deformation patterns within a soil mass are typically limited by the fact that soil sensors do not provide a continuous image of the measured continuum. Furthermore, different characteristic of soil sensors in both static and dynamic with the surrounding soils could alter the response of the measure continuum. The study of transparent slurry was originally done by Mannheimer (1990). It was further developed by Iskander (1994) with the creation of three families of transparent soils, namely amorphous silica powder, silica gels and Aquabeads. Besides, another type of transparent soil by using Nafion has been developed by a team of researchers from the James Hutton Institute and the University of Abertay Dundee (2012). In this UROP, study was done on the characteristics of transparent soils

developed and test was carried out to find another suitable material in making synthetic transparent soil that is low cost and easy-to-prepare.

Literature Review
Transparent materials exhibit the characteristics of little light energy is reflected while most of them enter through the boundary into the second medium. For the transmitted ray entering the second medium, its direction depends on the ratio of refractive index of both materials. In transparent soils, refraction of light is prevented by matching the refractive indices of the materials and pore fluids used. Next, the clarity of transparent soils also depends on the existence of entrapped air and impurities, which tend to reflect light resulting in a translucent or partially transparent medium. Air has to be displaced as it is the major source of transparency degradation due to the different of its refractive index (nair 1.003) with that of materials and pore fluid used. According to Mannheimer (1990), transparent slurries can be made by dispersing solid particles that have a refractive index close to a typical glass (1.4 1.5) in a liquid with the same refractive index. However, in practice, solid particles tend to contain flaws or defects that make it impossible to perfectly match their refractive index. While there are 2 main criteria mentioned by Iskander (1994) in order to develop transparent soil. First, the diameter of the microparticles is shorter than the wavelength of light so that they do not scatter light. Second, the aggregtes (materials) are hygroscopic have a high tendency in adsorbing pore fluid and displacing entrapped air in the system. Following these 2 properties, 3 families of transparent materials have been developed by Iskander for modeling sand and clay. The first family is made of consolidating suspensions of amorphous silica and liquids to model natural clay. The second family is

made of silica gels and matched refractive index liquids, which models sand. The third family is AquaBead, which can be used to model soil with hydraulic conductivity within the range of 10-2 to 10-5 cm/s. The pore fluids used in these 3 families are the same. The first is a 50:50 blend by weight of colourless mineral oil and a normal-paraffinic solvent, to have a refractive index of 1.447 at 25C. The second pore fluid is a brine mixture blended from calcium bromide and water to have a refractive index of 1.448 at 25C.

Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene


Material Selection
Nafion was first selected to be the material used in modeling transparent soil. Nafion is the first class of synthetic polymers with ionic properties. Its unique hydrophilic property (water-loving) is due to the incorporation of perfluorovinyl ether groups terminated with sulfonate groups onto a tetrafluoroethylene backbone. However, it was given up as the first choice in the experiment due to its high cost. Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) was selected as the alternative as suggested by the team doing research on optically transparent porous medium of microbial film from University of Duisburg-Essen. The main difference between Nafion and FEP is their interaction towards polar/ionic groups. As discussed, Nafion consists of a polar sulphonate group that interacts with other polar groups while only hydrophobic interaction is involved in FEP as it mainly consists of C-F groups. However, the main concern is whether the material selected is hygroscopic its tendency to adsorb the pore fluid and displace the entrapped air. The FEP pellets used is manufactured by Shandong Huaxia Shenzhou New Material Co. Ltd., it is about

cube in shape, with size approximately 3 mm x 3 mm x 3 mm, with refractive index of 1.344.

Solutions Chosen
The governed factors that affect the transparency of the transparent soil have been studied before tests were carried out. Few factors have been listed down the pore fluid selected, size and shape of the materials, surface treatment of materials, and boundary effect of the medium carried the transparent soil and etc. After the material was selected to model soil, the next step was to select suitable pore fluid to match the refractive index of FEP. Few solutions have been selected but only liquid ethanol was mainly discussed in this report. A series of ethanol solution consisting 10 sets of solution with different fraction of weight of liquid ethanol at constant temperature was prepared. Reference of refractive index at different fraction was taken. It was estimated matched refractive index would achieve at weight fraction of about 0.20. Result will be discussed in the next section. Besides, experimental values of refractive index at different mole fraction of mixture of ethanol and methanol were referred. It was found that approximately mixture of them at mole fraction of 50:50 at temperature 25C would produce a solution with RI of 1.344.

Surface Treatment
FEP is hydrophobic in nature, but the functional group of pore fluid chosen selected is polar in nature. Surface treatment was carried out in the aim of modifying the functional groups on the surface of FEP. Concentrated ethanol solution was prepared by mixing 240 cm3 of liquid ethanol and 60 cm3 of deionized water. FEP pellets were allowed to immerse in it for two weeks before further test was carried out. The figure shows the

difference observation made for treated FEP pellets and original FEP pellets in deionized water.

Testing Program, Result and Discussion


A series of ethanol solution with different weight fraction of liquid ethanol was prepared. Data of refractive index with different fraction of ethanol was referred from the experiment done by. It was estimated that a matched refractive index with that of FEP could be achieved at about 0.20. However, a translucent image was produced for whole series of ethanol solution rather than transparent image. Next, tests were done on mixing ethanol and methanol at different mole fraction. It was observed that a better image was produced at a mole fraction of 50:50 of ethanol to methanol. The result predicted was similar the refractive index referred. Nevertheless, the image produced was still translucent and it would be discussed in the next section for improvement.

Silica Gel
Material Selection
Similar to Isknader, silica gel was selected to model transparent soil. There are 2 types of silica gel - irregular and spherical. Basically, the main reason of silica gel is chosen is its large surface area which allows it to adsorp the pore fluid and displaces the entrapped air. The irregular silica gel used in this experiment was bought from Nacalai Tesque, Inc. while the silica gel used by Iskander was still in the progress of purchasing.

Solution Chosen
Taken reference from Iskander, pore fluid of 50:50 blend by weight of colourless mineral oil and a normal-paraffinic solvent, to have a refractive index of 1.447 at 25C was used.

Testing Program, Result and Discussion


Silica gels were poured into the test tube layer by layer to prevent the formation of air bubbles inside the test tube. The result obtained would be discussed in the next section. A semi-transparent image was produced. Air bubbles were observed being trapped inside the pore between the irregular silica gel. The significant amount of air bubbles entrapped play a crucial role in determining the transparency of the silica gel. Due to different refractive index (nair = 1.003, nsilica gel = 1.442), light tends to refract inside the second medium instead of just passing through it.

Improvement
De-airing process
As there is no guarantee that no air bubbles are entrapped when material is put into the container layer by layer. A connector is made to connect the test tube (container) to the vacuum pump in order to suck all the air bubbles out to create a medium of matched refractive index between the materials modeling soil and the corresponding pore fluid.

Surface treatment
The modification of surface of FEP pellets has to be verified and revised. The mechanism of ethanol solution in attacking studied. It has to be verified that whether there is a surface modification of FEP or only a thin layer of ethanol solution is adsorbed on the surface of FEP. Besides, the conversion of Nafion from precursor form to acid form should be studied and see whether it is applicable to the surface treatment on FEP pellets. It is acknowledged that the acid form of Nafion is the ready form to be used to model transparent soil.

Disturbance on the light energy


The ideal case of the travel path of a beam of light should be directly passing though the medium of transparent soil without any reflection, bending or change in direction. To achieve this, reflection, refraction and diffraction of light energy has to be minimized so that no light is scattered. Therefore, few improvements have to be done. Air bubbles have to be eliminated as discussed previously to minimize the chances of light refracts inside the medium of transparent soil. Container with curved surface has to be avoided to minimize the chances of light undergoes refraction when entering the second medium. A transparent box with dimension of 6cm x 3cm x 5cm and an outlet for de-airing was made and to be used in the next experiment. Besides, size and shape of the particles is one of the concerns too. The particles of FEP and silica gel have to be studied to ensure no total internal reflection will occur therefore it becomes transparent when light passing through it rather than visible.

Conclusion
The development of transparent soil is still at a very beginning stage. A lot of problems and questions should be investigated to fully understand the theory and mechanism work behind it before it can be fully applied in the field of geotechnical engineering.

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