Inhibitive effect of potassium methylsiliconate on hydration swelling of montmorillonite

Herein we report on a study on the inhibition effect of potassium methylsiliconate on hydration swelling of montmorillonite. The results of linear swelling tests showed that potassium methylsiliconate exhibits a high performance as an effective shale inhibitor in drilling fluids. The inhibition mechanism was investigated by means of a variety of methods including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential measurements. The high degree of inhibition is a result of the synergy of action of potassium cations and methylsiliconate anions. Methylsiliconate anions form a hydrophobic shell around each montmorillonite particle through the adsorption on the edge sites, thus inhibiting the penetration of water into the interlayer. The potassium ions promote the formation of a less hydratable structure of montmorillonite through cation-exchange interaction.