AFM OBSERVATION OF KAOLINITE SURFACE USING “PRESSED” POWDER

Abstract

Molecularly-resolved surface images of both octahedral and tetrahedral sheets of kaolinite have been obtained by atomic force microscope (AFM) observation of pressed kaolinite powder in air. Tetrahedral-sheet images were frequently observed with molecular-scale resolution. Another type of reproducible images with 0.3-nm spacing was also obtained and interpreted as a sheet of hydroxyl groups on the octahedral sheet.