Thermal decomposition of illite

Abstract

The effect of heat treatment on illite in air at temperatures ranging from 750 to 1150 °C was studied using the Mössbauer effect in 57Fe. The dependence of the Mössbauer parameters and relative percentage of the radiation absorption area was measured as a function of the firing temperature. The onset of thermal structural decomposition occurred at 800 °C. With rising temperature, the formation of hematite (Fe2O3) increased at the expense of the silicate mineral.