Preparation and Characterization of an 8.4 Å Hydrate of Kaolinite

Abstract

Abstract A stable 8.4 Å hydrate of kaolinite was prepared by exchanging ethylene glycol for water in the 10.8 Å intercalate of ethylene glycol in kaolinite. The hydrate of kaolinite was characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA/DSC. From the TGA data, one can estimate that there is 0.60 water molecule per Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 units. The IR data suggest a similarity of the local environment of the intercalated water in this 8.4 Å hydrate of kaolinite and the 8.4 Å hydrate of nacrite previously described by Wada (1965).