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Updated: Feb 18, 2026
12:18
Pore-scale Imaging and Characterization of Hydrocarbon Reservoir Rock Wettability at Subsurface Conditions Using X-ray Microtomography
Published on: October 21, 2018
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Intrinsic Wettability of Talc
Shubhankar Kundu1, Lei Li2, Haitao Liu1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 219 Parkman Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 16, 2026
Summary
Talc
Area of Science:
- Mineralogy
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Talc's hydrophobicity is traditionally viewed as an inherent mineral characteristic.
- Previous studies have not accounted for surface contamination effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the true nature of talc's surface properties.
- To determine the cause of talc's observed hydrophobicity.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of a freshly exposed talc surface.
- Monitoring water contact angle over time upon air exposure.
- Spectroscopy analysis to identify surface contaminants.
- Control experiments to validate findings.
Main Results:
- Freshly prepared talc surfaces exhibit significant hydrophilicity.
- Water contact angle increases upon exposure to ambient air, indicating a transition to hydrophobicity.
- Spectroscopy confirms the presence of airborne hydrocarbons on the talc surface.
- The rate of hydrocarbon deposition, and thus hydrophobicity development, is dependent on relative humidity.
Conclusions:
- Talc's hydrophobicity is not an intrinsic property but is acquired through airborne hydrocarbon contamination.
- Surface wetting behavior of talc is dynamic and influenced by environmental conditions like humidity.
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