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Smectite transformation in high molar KOH solutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

A. Bauer
Affiliation:
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Laboratoire de Géologie, 24, rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05 BRGM, Département Géomatériaux et Géoprocédés, Avenue de Concyr, B.P. 6009, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2, France
B. Velde
Affiliation:
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Laboratoire de Géologie, 24, rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05

Abstract

Batch reactor experiments were performed at 35°C and 80°C to determine the effect of high molar KOH solutions on the mineralogy and solution chemistry of two different smectites. The Ceca smectite is a nearly pure montmorillonite, and the Ibeco clay has a significant component of 35% beidellitic charge. Each reactor was charged with 1 g of <2 mm fraction smectite and 80, 160, 240 ml of 0.1–4 M KOH solution. In these experiments, the changes in solution composition and mineralogy were monitored as a function of time.

In the experiments, at all temperatures and under all chemical conditions, the smectite appears to change in diffracting domain size, which decreases with time. This probably reflects a change in crystal shape. The structures then become more illite rich and the diffracting domain continues to decrease.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1999

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