KAOLINITE " NMF INTERCALATES

Abstract--Bulk and size-fractionated kaolinites from seven localities in Australia as well as the Clay Minerals Society Source Clays Georgia KGa- 1 and KGa-2 have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser scattering, and electron microscopy in order to understand the variation of particle characteristics across a range of environments and to correlate specific particle characteristics with intercalation behavior. All kaolinites have been intercalated with N-methyl (NMF) after pretreatment with hydrazine hydrate, and the relative fficiency of intercalation has been determined using XRD. Intercalate yields of kaolinite: NMF are consistently low for bulk samples that have a high proportion of small-sized particles (i,e., <0.5 urn) and for biphased kaolinites with a high percentage (> 60%) of low-defect phase. In general, particle size appears to be a more significant controlling factor than defect distribution i determining the relative yield of kaolinite: NMF intercalate. Key Words:--Defect distribution, Intercalates, Kaolinite, N-methyl formamide, Particle size