Clay and clay minerals: A brief review from fundamentals to applications

Clay and clay minerals are naturally occurring materials and available abundantly on the earth. They are inexpensive, and have a range of structures and properties with mechanical and heat stability. They are layered magnesium or aluminium silicates composed of tetrahedrally coordinated silicate sheets and octahedrally coordinated magnesium or aluminium hydroxide sheets. Because of natural abundance and environment friendly nature, clay and clay minerals have been used in different industrial sectors. In this review article, classification of clay minerals, structures, properties and their applications in different sectors have been discussed. Some of the important sectors, where clay and clay minerals are being used extensively are Agriculture and farming, Fertilizers and soil conditioners, Pesticides and Herbicides, Animal feeds, Food industry, Detergent industry, Cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, Biomedical industry, Textile and paint industry, Oil and gas Exploration, Construction Industry, Environmental Protection, Carbon dioxide capture, Photocatalysis, etc. We tried to update the current knowledge with recent developments and progress in clay and clay minerals in this review.