Six deferrated clay (<2 µm) samples from the major B horizons of pedons derived from basaltic pyroclasts (Western Cameroon) were selected. These soil clays, which differ mainly in their contents of halloysite and kaolinite, represent the types of secondary constituents characteristic of different weathering stages in soils derived from such volcanic materials under humid tropical conditions. On these clays, Ca2+-K+ exchange equilibria were performed at pH 6 and 0·01 n chloride concentration. The amounts of K+ specific sites were estimated through a two-site modelling of the exchange isotherm curves. The total and external surface areas of the clays were measured by EGME retention and by the BET treatment of the N2 adsorption isotherm, respectively. Relative halloysite content was found to be directly related to all measured surface charge properties, i.e. CEC, amount of K+ specific sites, and total and internal surface areas. It was also observed that thermal collapse of halloysitic layers reduced both the CEC and the amount of K+ specific sites. All the surface properties observed point to the presence of smectite units intimately associated with halloysite in these clays. The results further suggest that the layer charge of these smectite units differs in different samples.

Six clays from volcanic ash soils at different stages of weathering differ in their relative halloysite content with respect to kaolinite and several surface properties, namely CEC, and exchange selectivity for K+. These three parameters are related to each other in that they all decrease with increasing soil weathering stage. XRD data show that the hydrated 1:1 layer-silicates in these clays combine with smectite to form interstratified H/Sm clay minerals. In these mixed-layers, the content and layer charge of smectitic units decrease as the relative halloysite content in the clay decreases. These clays thus depict a weathering sequence that is parallel to the weathering sequence of the soils from which they originate. It is also shown that the smectites in the H/Sm minerals have the distinctive composition and ESR spectrum of Fe-rich 2:1 clay minerals belonging to the beidellite-nontronite series. The information obtained explains why these clays have high CEC and distinct affinities for K+. It is hoped that this study will help to clarify the controversy concerning the CEC and related surface properties attributed to hydrated halloysite.

Two-layered Fe(III)-M(II) hydroxy carbonates (M(II) = Ni or Mg) have been synthesized by induced hydrolysis using controlled air oxidation of an aqueous Fe(II)-M(II) mixture (M(II)/Fe(II) ratio >3) at a pH below which the hydroxide of the M(II) cation precipitates. The crystalline, homogeneous product can be a single phase consisting of very thin circular to hexagonal plates (0·2–0·8 µm diam.). For synthetic reevesite (Ni(II)-Fe(III) hydroxy carbonate), stable spherular aggregates are formed. The well crystallized products have an M(II)/Fe(III) ratio of about two. However, by varying the pH, the initial M(II)-Fe(III) ratio and the oxidation rate, the M(II)/Fe(III) ratio in the product and its crystallinity can be varied. The derived formulae are in reasonable agreement with the known composition of pyroaurite-type compounds. Possible synthesis pathways are discussed. The ability to control some physical and morphological features of the products indicates that the synthesis technique could prove advantageous in the preparation of certain catalyst precursors.

In order to study Al-Fe substitution, Fe-kaolinites were synthesized at 200°C from glasses (Si/(Al + Fe) = 1) with varying Fe content. XRD and IR spectroscopy showed that kaolinites with increasing Fe contents could be synthesized, and Mössbauer spectroscopy indicated that the iron is strictly ferric. Chemical analyses (STEM) of kaolinite particles determined up to almost 7% Fe2O3, which probably does not represent a structural limit. The effect of Fe3+ content is evident on growth kinetics and particle size of kaolinites, both decreasing with % Fe2O3. However, it is not possible to establish a general correlation between Fe content and percentage of structural defects. Acccording to IR spectroscopy, some synthesized Fe-rich kaolinites can have relatively good crystallinity.

A study has been carried out on the influence of acid concentration, time and temperature of reaction, liquid to solid ratio and chemical composition of the mineral on the extension and selectivity of the octahedral cations extracted during acid leaching of palygorskite. The mechanism of the extraction of Mg2+, Al3+, and Fe3+ is discussed on the basis of kinetic models fitted for a reacting-shell model, taking into account particle shape and the rate controlling step. A model is given from which kinetics parameters and the activation energy of the process are calculated. The different behaviour observed for the two palygorskites could be explained on the basis of their differences in surface areas.

Dissolution kinetics of sepiolite from Eskisehir (Turkey) have been investigated at various temperatures and particle sizes using dilute hydrochloric and nitric acids. Dissolution reaction rate constants were calculated and apparent activation energies were dependent on acid concentration. For both acids, apparent activation energy values reached a minimum of ∼11 kcal/mol at an acid concentration of 0·75 M. For the second-order reaction which is independent of the acid concentration, the activation energy was 14·5 kcal/mol for both acids. The reaction rate constants were proportional to the acid concentrations, and inversely proportional to the square-root of the initial particle radii of the sepiolite.

Powdered 2:1 Mg-clay samples were rehydrated up to the maximum hydration. Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize their structural organization i.e. particle arrangement, texture and crystal structure. Low-angle X-ray scattering experiments were carried out to quantify the microstructure of the system. The results showed that sample water contents reached at saturation are not directly related to changes in layer distance. The hydration mechanism is rather correlated to particle size and particle aggregate size. It is also shown that the a, b plane extension of the layers influences particle size and shape. Finally, it appears that for a better understanding of clay swelling mechanisms, at high water contents, it is necessary to take into account all organization levels and that the contribution of interlayer space to the total water content, for Mg-smectites, is small.

Effects of tetrahedral isomorphic substitution on the IR spectra of fluorine micas were demonstrated by comparing the spectrum of taeniolite KMg2Li(Si4O10)F2 with those of the substituted analogues, in which Ga, Al, B or Ge substituted for Si in tetrahedral sites. The e11 bands move towards lower frequencies as the content of substituted cation in tetrahedral site increases, whereas The a11 and a12 bands moves towards higher frequencies. Linear relationships were found between a12 the band frequency and the extent of tetrahedral substitutions. The magnitude of shifts per molar substitution for the a12 bands is dependent on the species of substituted cation and decreases in the order Ga > Al > Ge > B, showing an intimate correlation with the field strength z1·z2/r2M–O of the substituted cations. This implies that the polarizing power of the substituted cations has a pronounced effect on the Si-O stretching vibrations.