Thermal analysis of hectorite. Part II. Differential thermal analysis

The thermal behavior of the SHCa-1 hectorite source clay specimen was studied by the technique of computerized differential thermal analysis (DTA) using dynamic nitrogen, dynamic air, dynamic carbon dioxide, and static air atmospheres. The atmospheric dependence of the DTA thermal curves was established. A series of samples heated in dynamic nitrogen purge was analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectrographic techniques to establish the high temperature phases of the SHCa-1 (carbonate-contaminated) hectorite specimen. Differential thermal analysis was also performed on a processed (carbonate-cleaned) hectorite specimen using dynamic nitrogen atmosphere. Additional TG-DTG thermal curves were included in this portion of the study.