The thermal activation and investigation of the structural order of kaolinite in kaolin and ballclay

In this study, domestic and foreign kaolin and ballclay were selected for thermal activation and structural order studies. The calcination temperature 700°C for 3 hrs was selested. Kaolin conversion to metakaolin was investigated using; differential thermal analysis, theramal gravimetric (DTA/TG), x-ray diffraction( XRD) and fourier transorm infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The degree of kaolinite dehydroxylation in kaolins and ballclays were also investigated using TGA analysis. The highest and lowest degree of hydroxylation after calcination was 90 and 60% Respectively under the same calcination conditions. Based on DTA and FTIR results, the highest order was observed in foreign kaolin and the lowest order was seen in the domestic ballcaly.but order indexes related to XRD, was shown different results with above analysis.