Micromechanical characterization of a natural organic rich composite porous medium (INVITED)

Abstract eng:
Composite porous materials have been the subject of micro-scale experimental and theoretical mechanics for decades, with their mineral and organic composite matter well defined a priori. However, natural composites in geomaterials with organic and mineral content, e.g., energy source shale, are inhomogeneous and anisotropic multi-phase components at all scales. Kerogen is lenticular and woven within the mineral clay and non-clay porous matrix, making the source shale hard to mechanically characterize. In this study, composite porous shale samples were manufactured as micro-pillars and micro-beams using a Focused Ion Beam and loaded in situ to failure in a Scanning Electron Microscope. Results show the polymer nature of kerogen-rich shale has a tensile elastic behaviour with a tensile “modulus of toughness” greater than any known natural geomaterial. Also, kerogen acted like a cross-linked polymer with substantial tensile strength and large tensile modulus of toughness, when compared to the brittle behaviour of kerogen-free shale.

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