Mechanism of montmorillonite structure degradation by percussive grinding

Abstract The processes taking place during decomposition of montmorillonite by percussive grinding have been studied by IR, X-ray and DTA methods. Destruction can be described as a series of parallel changes in the montmorillonite structure which proceed at various rates. The fastest is a change in status of the exchangeable cations followed by that of the hydroxyl groups. The slowest degradation process is the separation of tetrahedral and octahedral sheets. Degradation of the structure proceeds by delamination of particles, breaking of layers, crushing of layers by shocks perpendicular to the ab -direction, rearrangement of coordination polyhedra and transfer of protons within the structure. The relative importance of each of these processes is evaluated. It is assumed that the matrix resulting from complete breakdown of the montmorillonite structure consists mainly of the residue of tetrahedral sheets and deformed incomplete tetrahedra and octahedra, or of individual atoms held together in clumps either by Van der Waals forces or possibly, in some cases, by newly formed chemical bonds.