抄録
Smectite, a group of clay minerals, is an interesting material for its strange character as an inorganic material. Its characterization is, however, not yet completed in detail because smectite is commonly low crystalline and fine particle. It has never been found in single crystals. Recently single crystals of smectite have been successfully synthesized from the glass of dehydroxylated Na-mont-morillonite composition under water-saturated conditions at 3-5.5 Gpa and above 1000℃. The smectites were identified by powder X-ray diffraction measurements after the intercalation of ethylene glycol and also in-situ XRD observation at different relative humidities. The thin flakes of smectite dissociated by water were examined by transmission electron microscopy and recognized to be a single crystal in the forms of thin ribbon and lath.
