Hydrothermal synthesis of kaolinite, dickite, beidellite, and nontronite

Abstract

Kaolinite was synthesized by heating coprecipitated AJ20 3-Si02 gels and mixtures of Al20 3 and Si02 with water in a pressure bomb at 310 0 C. Similarly dickite was prepared by treating coprecipitated Ah03-Si02 gels at 3500 C and 3650 C, beidellite from mixtures of Ab03 and Si02 at 3500 C and 3900 C, and also from co precipitated gels and kaolinite at 390 0 C. Nontronite was madc by treating a coprecipitated Fe203-2Si02 gel at 3500 C. Beidellite was formed in these experiments in the presence of soda by transport of Si02 in solution to the Alz03 and reaction with Al20 3 in situ. The products were identified by X-ray patterns. Their optical properties were also consistent with those of the natural minerals. The stability ranges of kaolinite, dickite, and beidellite probably occur in the order named, with increasing temperature. This relation between kaolinite and dickite is consistent with geological evidence as to their formation in nature.