## 3 Results and Discussion
### Characterization of nMt Powder (nC4)
Moreover, a greater error is expected on the TEM results, inherent to the technique adopted to extract the \(r\) parameter in Equation (2). TEM micrographs and diffraction patterns and analyses for nC2 and nC3 can be found in literature [19]. TEM imaging and diffraction analysis of nC4 was followed by SEM/EDS analysis. A matrix of \(5\times 5\) randomly-selected spectra was collected (Table 3). The elemental composition of nC4 (Figure 4) showed that nC4 contained lower quantities of C, Si, and Al compared to the dispersed OMMT, nC2 and higher quantities of Fe and O. Furthermore, it was comprised of fewer elements and no Na was traced; therefore, nC4 is not a sodium-MMT originally. The Si/Al ratio of nC4 was found to be between 3.31 and 3.67, with a median of 3.48 and a standard deviation of 0.10. Figure 3: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) micrograph of nC4 at (**A**) 150,000 times magnification, (**B**) 50,000 times magnification and, (**C**) TEM-diffraction pattern of nC4. The comparative graphs of the elemental composition and the Si/Al ratios of the organomodified MMT dispersion (nC2), the inorganic MMT dispersion (nC3), and the organomodified MMT powder (nC4) are presented in Figure 5. Values for nC2 and nC3 were found in literature [19]. In summary, the two figures allow for the following conclusions to be drawn:  
* nC2 compared to nC4 has higher potential to form additional C-S-H, due to the higher quantities of silica and limited exfoliation. At the same time, the greater amount of carbon present is expected to cause reduction in compressive strengths [19]. * The inorganic nMt, nC3, exhibited the highest net amounts of Si and Al, essential for C-S-H and C-Al-H.
* Traces of Na were found in the nC2 dispersion, because an anionic surfactant containing Na was used. * The pronounced presence of Na in nC3 proves that nC3 was formed by a natural sodium-MMT, whereas the absence of Na in sample nC4 implies that nC4 was not a sodium-MMT originally. * The Ca content in nC3 could potentially take part in the C-S-H forming hydration reactions or acting as a seeding agent [13]. * Compared to nC2, the commercially available nC4 was better exfoliated, but showed marginally greater variation in Si/Al and more polycrystalline phases. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Initially Undispersed nC—All Results in Atomic \% Normalized by 100\%**} \\ \hline
**Spectrum** & **C** & **O** & **Mg** & **Al** & **Si** & **Fe** \\
**(1, 1)** & 38.63 & 49.13 & 0.55 & 3.29 & 8.01 & 0.40 \\
**(2, 1)** & 39.31 & 45.63 & 0.62 & 3.94 & 9.95 & 0.54 \\
**(3, 1)** & 37.94 & 48.55 & 0.60 & 3.70 & 8.74 & 0.47 \\
**(4, 1)** & 39.87 & 48.95 & 0.47 & 2.86 & 7.40 & 0.44 \\
**(5, 1)** & 38.78 & 47.83 & 0.55 & 3.54 & 8.83 & 0.47 \\
**Total mean** & 41.01 & 45.56 & 0.51 & 3.37 & 8.30 & 1.25 \\
**Standard Deviation** & 2.95 & 2.95 & 0.08 & 0.52 & 1.47 & 0.99 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Scanning electron microscopy/ X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) counts summary (% atomic) of nC4. Figure 4: Comparison of the elemental composition of the organomodified nanomontmorillonite (MMT) dispersion (nC2), inorganic MMT dispersion (nC3) [19], and organomodified MMT powder (nC4). TG analyses of the organomodified MMT dispersion (nC2), inorganic MMT dispersion (nC3), and organomodified MMT powder (nC4). Thermal analysis of organomodified nMt's is more complex because the modifiers used change the physical, chemical, and, consequently, the thermal characteristics of the nMt's. Apart from loss of free water, four regions of mass loss of organomodified nMt powders are identified in literature [19]:  
* Up to 200 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the mass loss is associated with adsorbed interlayer water. Therefore, in the case of the inorganic MMT, a significant mass loss is observed.