Hydrothermal Reactivity of Mixed-layer Kaolinite/smectite: Experimental Transformation of High-charge to Low-charge Smectite

-A mixed-layer kaolinite/smectite (K/S) containing trace amounts of quartz, discrete kaolinite, goethite-hematite, and calcite was hydrothermally reacted with deionized water at 150", 200", and 250"C for 1 to 12 months. The starting K/S contained 50% smectite consisting of 15~ low-charge and 350 high-charge layers. The X-ray powder diffraction and chemical analyses of the reacted products indicated a progressive reaction from high-charge to low-charge smectite as a function of time and temperature. The reaction reached completion after 4 months at 250"C, at which point high-charge smectite layers entirely reacted to low-charge smectite layers, the latter maintaining a constant proportion of about 90% for longer run durations. For long reaction times, discrete kaolinite totally reacted, whereas quartz showed only partial dissolution and iron oxides remained stable. Thus, the reaction of high-charge to low-charge smectite layers may be expressed as: high-charge smectite + kaolinite (both interstratified and discrete component) + quartz ~ low-charge smectite. Key Words--Cation-exchange capacity, Hydrothermal transformation, Kaolinite/smectite, Layer charge, Smectite, X-ray powder diffraction.