JI Jing-chao, LIU Qin-fu, ZHANG Shi-long, ZUO Xiao-chao, JIANG Fa-wei
(College of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract: Kaolinite samples of different aspect ratio were prepared through mechanical delamination grinding of potassium acetate/kaolinite intercalation compound, and the particle size, structure and morphology of four kaolinite samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Experimental results show that with increasing times of intercalation and delamination, the crystallinity index (HI) of kaolinite decreases from 1.29 to 0.69, the degree of crystallinity also decreases and its crystal structure is destroyed to some extent. At the same time, particle size and the thickness of four kaolinite samples gradually decreased, and aspect ratio increases to 11.7 gradually. In addition, some stripped layers displayed curling (although rarely completely curled into nanoscrolls) after three times of intercalation and delamination.

Keywords: kaolinite; aspect ratio; intercalation and delamination grinding; ordered degree

Email: lqf@cumtb.edu.cn

ACTA MINERALOGICA SINICA Vol. 35, No. 2, 2015, Page 197-202