Ceramic Properties: Clay Smectite Synthetic

Smectite clay minerals are important materials for a wide variety of applications such as ceramics, polymer/clay nanocomposites, adsorbents, catalysts, among others. Stevensite clay is a smectite with good properties, but there are few natural deposits. It has already been synthesized but there are few studies addressing the subject. Therefore, in this study, a synthetic stevensite was provided by Applied Clays Laboratory from the Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo. The synthetic clay mineral had its plasticity evaluated and was characterized by X-ray Diffraction, Attenuated Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopies. Spherical samples were conformed and then dried at 60 and 90 degrees C and fired at 950 and 1250 degrees C. The samples were characterized by SEM, linear shrinkage, water adsorption, apparent porosity and water of conformation. The results showed that the synthetic clay presents patterns characteristic of stevensite and presents potential to be applied in advanced ceramics.