Thermal Activation of Kaolin: Effect of Kaolin Mineralogy on the Activation Process

Kaolin is an industrial mineral used in a wide variety of applications due to its crystalline structure, and elemental composition. After kaolin undergoes heat treatment specific temperature range, metakaolin, which exhibits strong pozzolanic reaction, formed. This paper examines the effects different qualities on thermal activation process metakaolin production. The depend impurities they contain, such as mica, feldspar quartz. In this study, four samples are investigated. Each sample was treated lab-scale rotary kiln order study chemical, structural morphological changes that occurred their influence activity. parameters being considered experimental were duration treatment. Thus, calcination for each types carried out at 600, 650 700 °C 3 h. monitored using XRD, FTIR DTA analysis. Additionally, reactivity all thermally evaluated based Chapelle test. results showed fewer impurities, easier transformation material metakaolin. optimum result originated from purest quality comparable commercial product. Finally, activity activated also depended purity kaolin.