Chemical Inferences Drawn From Volcanic Pumice

Abstract

The idea to conduct this study suggested itself amid attempts to respond to a question concerning the Kula Geopark. The question was whether the samples taken from the site could be used to teach Physical Chemistry and Nanoscience in laboratory. With this end in view, firstly the pumice samples were characterized by X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses. Next, after observing superhydrophilic nature of the pumice with porous structure containing various metal oxides, the samples were coated with copper stearate dispersion using a spraying method. And then the wettability properties and contact angles of the copper stearate-treated samples were determined. Given the structure of the pumice samples and other findings, it was discussed which models would apply to the wettability of these samples