Intercalation of alkylamines and water into kaolinite with methanol kaolinite as an intermediate

Alkykamines and water were intercalated between the layers of kaolinite by utilizing a kaolinite/methanol intercalation compound as an intermediate. A kaolinite/methanol intercalation compound was synthesized by guest displacement reaction of a kaolinite/N-methylformamide intercalation compound with methanol. The basal spacing increased up to 5.75 nm when octadecylamine was used. It increased linearly with the length of alkyl chains by 0.255 nm per carbon atom, suggesting that the alkylamine molecules in the interlayer space of kaolinite take a bilayer arrangement with their alkyl chains almost perpendicular to the layers of kaolinite. Water molecules were also intercalated into kaolinite by displacement of methanol. The basal spacing of the product was 1.00 nm under wet conditions and 0.85 nm after drying. By using hydrated kaolinite as an intermediate, pyridine molecules were intercalated into kaolinite, thus, the hydrated kaolinite also shows the ability as an intermediate for displacement reactions. These results demonstrate that kaolinite has higher intercalation ability for a wider variety of guest species than previously accepted if appropriate intermediates are used.