Slow transformation of mechanically dehydroxylated kaolinite to kaolinite—an aged mechanochemically activated formamide-intercalated kaolinite study

Formamide-intercalated high defect kaolinite which was mechanochemically activated for periods of time up to 6 h has been aged for up to 1 year. These modified materials were studied using a combination of X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and DRIFT spectroscopy. Ageing of the formamide-intercalated mechanochemically activated kaolinite results in de-intercalation of the formamide and the de-intercalated kaolinite returns to its original d-spacing. Thermal analysis shows that the temperature of dehydration and dehydroxylation increase by up to 30 °C. The temperature of the dehydroxylation of the aged samples was identical to that of the untreated kaolinite. The DRIFT spectroscopy showed that the spectrum of the aged samples approached that of the untreated kaolinite. The kaolinite showed partial de-intercalation and the 6 h sample had reformed to a mineral resembling the untreated kaolinite. The process of ageing the mechanochemically activated kaolinite enabled the reformation of the kaolinite.