Low-temperature synthesis of leucite crystals using kaolin

Synthesis of leucite crystals below 1000 °C using natural kaolin as the primary raw material was investigated. Spherical leucite crystals having a diameter of approximately 50 μm were prepared by heating a powder mixture of Al2(SO4)3, kaolin and K2SO4 (in mass ratios of 3:3:15) at 900 °C for 3 h. Quartz, the main accessory phase in kaolin, and the amorphous metakaolin formed upon heating kaolin were found to be responsible for the decreased synthesis temperature.