The present author, in continuing the previous study (This Journal, 1936,
44, 531), reports here the results of further studies on the reaction of alkali solution to kaolin or allied matter. The following is the brief abstract from the original Japanese communication.
(1) The comparative tests were carried out to prepare alkali kaolin or artificial feldspathic matter from kaolin by the hydrothermal reaction of sodium or potassium hydroxide under pressure. This hydrothermal reaction of alkali solution on kaolin was already reported in other papers (S. Nagai: “Studies on Products of Hydrothermal Reactions on Clayey Substances, ” Journal Soc. Chem. Ind., Japan, 1935,
38, 371B, 732B; 1936,
39, 7B, 45B, 96B, 252B). The products are to be called as alkali kaolin, artificial nepheline hydrate or artificial feldspathic matter of zeolite group, having the rational formula R
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O, and these are clear differences between sodium and potassium products. The sodium product Na
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O of nepheline hydrate type is easily prepared even under ordinary atmospheric pressure and has the rational formula Na
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅H
2O of 1mol, combined water by drying at 110°C. The potassium product K
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O of kali-nepheline hydrate type is, on the contrary, difficultly prepared under low steam pressure (5-10 atm. and 150-180°C), nearly completely prepared under higher steam pressure (20-30 atm. and 210-232°C), and has the rational formula K
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅1/4H
2O, losing the large part of combined water by drying at 50°C.
(2) These products of alkali kaolin or nepheline hydrate type were tested their base exchange property by treating with calcium or magnesium chloride solution 5-10% uuder steam pressures (30-50 atm. and 232-263°C), and obtained 0.5 (Na, K)
2O⋅0.5(Ca, Mg)O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O, being base exchanged nearly 50%.
(3) The special clayey raw material “Rosekinendo” for refactory use, containing pyrophyllite Al
2O
3⋅4SiO
2⋅H
2O, was analysed and the comparative tests of the hydrothermal reaction of alkali solution under pressure was applied to this material as above expianined. Pyrophyllite is seen to be in the quite same way reacted by sodium hydroxide solution under pressure (10-20 atm. and 180-210C) to Na
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O and sodium silicate solution from the excess silica, (4-2) SiO
2, and difficultiy reacted by potassium hydroxide solution under higher pressure (20-30 atm. and 210-232°C) to K
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O and potassium silicate solution. These products Na
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O and K
2O⋅Al
2O
3⋅2SiO
2⋅nH
2O are quite equal in every points to those from kaolinite as above explained.
(4) Prophyllite was not completely reacted under atmospheric pressure by the alkali solution, which is the quite different point from kaolinite. This property can be used with success for the method of separation of pyrophyllite from kaolinite, by treating the mixture of pyrophyllite and kaolinite with 20-30 solution of sodium hydroxide under atmospheric pressure for long time, filtering and washing the residue composed from non-reacted
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