STRUCTURAL AND TEXTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A COLOMBIAN HALLOYSITE

 

A. M. Carrillo, C. M. Urruchurto, J. G. Carriazo, S. Moreno and R. A. Molina

 

 

This study reports the characterization of a natural clay with potential use for the preparation of new materials for technological applications. This material was analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, electron microscopy (SEM-TEM), and IR-spectroscopy among others. The results indicated that the studied mineral is a clay type 1:1, mineralogically classified as meta-halloysite. XRF and XRD showed composition and structure profiles of a scientifically and technologically valuable mineral due to the absence of contaminants in significant quantities. TEM analysis revealed halloysite nanotubes with 80 to 600 nm of length, and the nitrogen adsorption showed a mesoporous solid with specific surface area of 43 m2/g.