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Identification of Clay Minerals by X-Ray Diffraction Analysis
Identification of Clay Minerals by X-Ray Diffraction Analysis
BY GEORGE W . BraxoLEY *
ABSTRACT The sub.iect of X-ray identification of clay minerals
Since X-riiy iliffniction ]);itt<'rns are clii-potly related to crystal has been reviewed u p to 1950 by a number of writers in
striiotures. X-ray identification is. in i>rincil)ul. l)etter snited to X-ray Identification and Crystal Structures of Clay
the reooK'nition of structural groups and structural varieties than Minerals, edited by the present writer and published
of clieniical species. by the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain. This dis-
Well-formed kaolin, mica, and chlorite structures give rise to
cliaracteristic 7. 10 and 1 4 A sp;icinKS which are relatively easily cusses the principles of identification and gives lists of
identified. Tl.vdrated forms, such as hy<lrated halloysite {r/ = l()A} X - r a y powder data. Clay Mineral Standards, edited by
and montmorillonoids tinder normal conditions (f/= 14A), are K e r r (1950), also contains a section listing X - r a y pow-
recognized either by low-temperature deh.vdration giving charac- der data for clay minerals. D a t a are also to be found in
teristicall.v diminished spacings, or by the format i<.)n of organic
complexes giving characteristically increased sjjacings. This intro- the American Society for Testing Materials card index
duces at once the ijrinciide that X-ray identification may, and of X-ray diffraction data. The present article gives a
generally does, ent.'iil the study of mineral modification liy suitable broad survey of the subject a n d indicates some jireseut
chemical and/or thernuil treatment. trends.
The main requirements in the X-ray technique a r e : (1) Abilit.v
to record long sjiacings up to 2.5A or even higher values; (2) Avell EVALUATION OF STRUCTURAL GROUPS
focused lines with good resolution; (o) absence of background AND SUB-GROUPS
scattering and white radiation anomalies. Of these, (1) and C^)
lie within the control of the investigator, bnt (2) depends partly Use of Basal Reflections. The majority of clay min-
on the material. erals have layer silicate s t r u c t u r e s with a marked basal
The main difficulties of X-ray identification a r e : (1) The mul- cleavage and platy habit. The basal reflections, generally
tiplicity of lines when nniny components are present, and (2)
poorly defined diagrams arising from poor erystallinity and/or designated 001, are usually easily recognized more par-
small size of crystals. The first can be treated experimentally, but ticularly when preferentially orientated aggregates are
the second is inherent in the jjroblem. Rimidification of X-ray employed. These retleetions, if indexed 001, 002, 003, etc.,
di.'igrams is i)ossiblc by sedimentation, acid treatment and thermal give directly the thickness of the s t r u c t u r a l layers. The
treatment and by the use of orientated .specimens. Poor quality u n i t cell of the structure may, and often does, contain
powder diagrams (if not due to poor technique) are of interest
in themselves and may still give valuable information concerning more t h a n one such layer depending on the m a n n e r in
the clay minerals, more particularly when monomineralic or which the layers are stacked on each other. The stacking
mainly monomineralic fractions are used. Line profiles give valu- se(pienee determines the p a r t i c u l a r s t r u c t u r a l variety of
able indications of randomly displaced layers and of interstratified the mineral and generally is less easily determined t h a n
sequences.
The recognition of chemical species by X-rays is difficult but the layer thickness. The latter determines, in a broad
some progress can be made if pure or nearly pure specimens are sense, the layer type and so suffices to place a niinera]
obtainable. The recognition of di- and tri-octahedral minerals by in a p a r t i c u l a r s t r u c t u r a l group or sub-group.
the tO(50) spacing is well known but the recognition of micas and Tjayer spacings of about 7, 10 and 14A are the ones
chlorites in any greater detail is difficult. A consideration of basal
spacings and basal inten.sities may make more specific identifica- most commonly observed and they are broadly charac-
tion possible. teristic of p a r t i c u l a r kinds of layers.
Ambiguities in their i n t e r p r e t a t i o n can usually be
INTRODUCTION
resolved by (a) knowing the sequence of basal intensities,
The problem of identifying: clay minerals by X - r a y a n d (b) a p p l y i n g auxiliary techniques, such as the use
diflfraction analysis may itsefnlly be considered in rela- of characteristic thermal and chemical properties of the
tion to the scheme of classification, already outlined in minerals, in conjunction with X - r a y examination. I n
Table 1 of the previous paper Structural Mineralogy of addition, it is often useful to use orientated aggregates
Clays to this Conference, in which minerals are sub- which for p l a t y minerals can be obtained by careful
divided successively into chemical categories, s t r u c t u r a l sedimentation onto a glass plate. This greatly enhances
groups a n d sub-groups, chemical species, and s t r u c t u r a l the basal reflections and largely suppresses others, so t h a t
Y'arieties. Since X - r a y diffraction analysis is concerned a n easier interpretation of these reflections is obtained
p r i m a r i l y with structural aspects of clay minerals, it is (XageLsehmidt, 1 9 4 1 ; MacEwan, 1951).
clear t h a t the method is most suited to the recognition The problems involved are generally not difficult if
of s t r u c t u r a l groups and s t r u c t u r a l varieties. Differen- p u r e and sufficiently well-crystallized material is
tiation between chemical species tends to be difficult examined a n d the experimental technique is adequate.
except in cases where the structural varieties are them- B u t clay minerals are frequently neither p u r e nor well-
selves indicative of p a r t i c u l a r chemical species. A p a r t cr.vstallized and the problems encountered may be con-
from this possibility, the recognition of chemical species siderable.
requires consideration of the m a n n e r in which the fine
details of X - r a y diffraction p a t t e r n s dei)en(l on chemical Interpretation of lOA Spacings. Ten-A spacings indi-
constitution. F r o m this standpoint, atoms differ in size cate u n e x p a n d e d mica-type layers or the presence of
and in scattering power. S t r u c t u r a l l y similar minerals h y d r a t e d halloysite. Since the sequence of lines from
of different chemical composition m a y therefore show these is ((uite different they are not likely to be confused.
characteristic differences in lattice p a r a m e t e r s a n d / o r F u r t h e r , micas tend to be preferentially orientated
in the intensities of their X - r a v diffraction effects. parallel to the basal planes while halloysite, owing to its
morphology, shows no such orientation. The most decisive
Header in X-ray Physics, Physics I^al^oratories, The University, test, however, is t h a t h y d r a t e d halloysite readily de-
Peeds, England. Now Research Profes.sor of Mineral Sciences,
Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania. h y d r a t e s at 100°C, to a spacing of 7.2 to 7.4A.
(119)
12 J CLAVS AXD CLAY TECIIXOLOGY IBull. 16!)
The main characteristics of this type of diflPraction Experiiitental Methods. Both photographic a n d Gei-
are: ger counter methods of recording are widely used. It
(i) A iioii-integral series of basal reflections. Succes- must be emphasized that these are alternative methods of
sive reflections do not correspond to intefjral values of n recording X - r a y diff'raetion data and that many factors
in the Braii'<i' reflection law, nk ^ 2d sin 6. Tf d is calcu- which influence the diffracted intensities are common to
lated from the angular position of the first observed both techniques. The effects due to crystal orientation
reflection, tlie value so obtained is a statistical averag-e and to inhomogeneous absorption of X-rays in nuilti-
and does not correspond exactly to the spacin<>' of any component specimens are equally important in both
p a r t i c u l a r layer. methods.
(ii) A variable line breadth. Some reflections appear The Geiger counter spectrometer with continuous auto-
broad and others comparatively sliarp. As a simple ex- matic recording of reflected intensity is p a r t i c u l a r l y
ample we may consider a random m i x t u r e of lOA and useful for obtaining accurate intensity and spacing meas-
15A layers. The first observed reflection will lie between urements. As comjiared with the most accurate photo-
these extremes and be nearer tlie one or the other de- graphic technicpies, absolute measurements of lattice
pending' on the proportion of the two, but for about spacings with the spectrometer may be somewhat less
equal proportions a ratlier broad line at 12 to 13A would accurate (c.f. Wilson, 19.i()) b u t for clay mineral meas-
be expected. I n such an exam]ile. a sharp line at 5A urements, which are mainly at low 6-values, the spec-
would occur, this correspondinji' exactly to the second trometer gives spacing d a t a at least as accurate as the
order of the lOA spacino; and t h i r d order of the 15A best photographic measurements, while the direct record-
s])acino'. This example illustrates also the difficulty of ing of intensity is a considerable advantage over plioto-
attach inj^ a yiarticnlar order to an observed line in such graphic and micro-photometric determinations.
cases.
As r e g a r d s sensitivity in the recording of weak reflec-
(iii) Unequal movement of lines when the component
tions, the Geiger counter method is claimed to be as sen-
spacinji's are modified. This is obtained, for example, by
sitive as photographic; recording, but this is probably not
chauo-ing the degree of hydration or by formin'i' an
valid for all forms of the i n s t r u m e n t and it calls for care-
organic complex. The analysis by B r o w n and MacEwan
ful consideration so t h a t weak but valuable reflections
(1951) is invaluable for i n t e r p r e t i n g such effects.
are not overlooked t h r o u g h the use of this very conven-
The interpretation of mixed-layer structures presents ient instrument. The recording spectrometer is especially
a more difficidt x>roblem tlian the recognition of regular useful when it is recpiired to examine a small a n g u l a r
structures. The main experimental requirement is to ob- range of the diff'raetion d i a g r a m for a range of speci-
tain X - r a y diagrams of the p u r e mineral. Then, pro- mens.
vided one of the component layers can be modified by
heat-treatment or by organic or other reagents. Brown Long Spacing Measurements. While the basic layer
and M a c E w a n ' s tabulations should give considerable t y p e s have spacings of about 7, 10 a n d 14 to 15 A, a n d
information r e g a r d i n g the kinds of layers Avhich are giycerol-montmorillonite has a spacing of 17.7 A, a n u m -
present. ber of larger spacings have been recorded in recent years.
Ideally, as MacEwan has explained in this Confer- B r a d l e y (1950) obtained a basal spacing of 25.0 A with
ence, it should be possible by use of a Patterson type the mineral rectorite which contains a regular alternation
analysis, as used in crystal structure determinations, to of pyrophyllite-type and vermiculite-type layers. Alex-
determine the probability of finding after a layer of a n i a n and W e y (1951) recorded a spacing of about 32A
type A a second layer of ty])e A (with characteristic AA from a montmorillonite from Camp Berteanx (Morocco).
separation) or a lav'er of a different type B (with its Caillere, Mathieu-Sicaud, a n d I l e n i n (1950) described a
characteristic separation, A B ) . To c a r r y out an analysis mica-like mineral from AUevard with a spacing of about
of this kind requires a complete knowledge of the varia- 2 2 A . These observations show the importance of extend-
tion of scattered X . r a y intensity with angle and there- ing spacing measurements to values beyond 20A as a
fore it is only possible for p u r e mono-mineralic speci- m a t t e r of routine procedure.
mens. However, it promises to be a very important The study of long spacings from h y d r a t e d Na-mont-
development because it will give information not only of morillonite by Norrish and MacEwan, which arc reported
the kinds of layers which are present in a mixed-layer at this Conference, emphasises still further the impor-
se(pience, but also of the degree of oixlering of Hie layers. tance of developing adecpiate technicpies for long spacing
measurements.
X-RAY TECHNIQUE
X-7-ay Powder Cameras for Chnj Miiier(d Studies.
The identification of clay minerals by X - r a y analysis Cameras of comniercdal design for routine X - r a y powder
depends on the use of a satisfactory experimental tech-
analysis are often inadequate for clay-mineral work since
nique. The main requirements are :
tliey cannot be used for spacings as large as 1 7 . 7 A (the
(i) Ability to record long spacings u p to about 2 5 A minimum requirement for clay-mineral analysis) wliile
or even higher values. air scattering of the incident X - r a y beam and sometimes
(ii) AVell focused lines with good resolution, also scattering by faulty collimation restricts still fur-
(iii) Absence of background scattering and white ra- t h e r the measurement of long spacings.
diation anomalies.
The use of powder layers in preference to rods or tubes
Of these, (i) and (iii) lie within the control of the in- of powder is recommended by some workers. ]\IacBwan
vestigator, but (ii) depends p a r t l y on the character of (1946) describes the use of a thin powder layer set edge-
the material. wise to the X - r a y beam, and which may be given a small
122 CLAYS AND C L A Y TECHNOLOGY [Bull. 169
\>mm I maum.
The s t r u c t u r a l varieties of chlorites have been studied introduces no change i n near-neighbour relations be-
so far only by single-crystal methods (Brindley, Ough- tween adjacent layers.
ton, and Robinson, 1950) and it is doubtful if powder Two effects follow from the random 7>-axis displace-
diagrams will yield sufficient detail for their recognition ment of layers. I n the first place, reflections with
in a finely divided form. I t is, however, certain t h a t if A' ^ 0, 3, 6 . . . remain unaffected, but reflections of type
chlorites are ground to a fine powder mechanically, then (hkl) with k y^ 'An disappear. The two-dimensional regu-
the distortions introduced will make it impossible to l a r i t y of the layers remains, however, so t h a t bands,
recognize the original s t r u c t u r a l variety. similar to those produced by halloysite a n d montmoril-
lonite, occur when /,• ^ 3 ; ( . These bands are usually much
RECOGNITION OF DISORDERED LAYER SEQUENCES weaker t h a n the strong (/(A7) reflections with k =^ 3n
Ordered a n d disordered layer sequences occur in all a n d in consequence are not easily seen. The strongest
the s t r u c t u r a l sub-groups and give rise to characteristic b a n d produced by all layers of the type found in clay
diffraction ctfects; the more pronounced the disorder, minerals is the (02, 11, IT)/, band, the three components
the more prominent are the etfects which arc produced. of which completely overlap. The maxinmm of this b a n d
I n powder diagrams, asymmetrical b a n d s of scattered corresponds closely with a lattice spacing of h„/2 and
X - r a y intensity are obtained in place of symmetrical occurs therefore at about d r= 4.5 — 4.6 A. This typo
lines. The bands usually correspond to a group of lines of disorder is recognized p a r t l y by the smaller n u m b e r
r a t h e r t h a n to a single line, b u t the position of a max- of reflections as compared with a fully ordered mineral,
imum intensity near the low-angle limit of a band (the namely those with k = 3n, a n d p a r t l y by the very char-
most noticeable feature a n d the one which is usually acteristic intensity profile of the (02, 11, I T ) / band.
measured a n d recorded in tables of lattice spacings), V e r y little quantitative work has y e t been done on
corresponds closely with a p a r t i c n l a r line in the diffrac- the determination of the degree of disorder. The k i n d
tion p a t t e r n of the ordered mineral. of effects to be expected with increasing disorder are
The most pronounced effects due to disordered layer se- (i) a fading out and a broadening of the (hkl) reflec-
quences arise with minerals such as halloysite and mont- tions with k j ^ 3«, (ii) the development of the 02 band,
morillonite where the layers a p p e a r to be displaced paral- with a modulation of the intensity distribution corre-
lel to both the (/- and the 5-axis so t h a t the only reflections sponding to the p a r t i a l order in the structure.
obtained, other t h a n the basal (001) reflections, are the I n practice, with a range of kaolin minerals, for
two-dimensional (hk) bands. The positions of maximum example, it is possible to place them in a sequence of in-
intensity near the low-angle limits can be indexed ap- creasing disorder, but a more detailed analysis of this
proximately as (hkO) a n d the entire sequence of re- question still requires to be developed.
flections then appears to correspond to an orthorhombic
or orthohexagonal cell. This, however, is an incorrect SUMMARY
description of the lattice. The band of intensity extend-
This contribution has endeavoured t o outline the prin-
ing to higher angles from each (hkO) position corres-
ciples of X - r a y identification of clay minerals without
ponds closely to an (hkl) sequence with the h a n d k reproducing lists of spacing data, which can be found
indices having fixed integral values a n d I taking values elsewhere. The identification problem has been broken
extending continuously from I = 0. The reason why the down into stages corresponding with the classification
position of maximum intensity corresponds only approxi- of clay minerals described in the previous p a p e r Struc-
mately with an (hkO) designation depends p a r t l y on tural Mineralogy of Clays contributed by the w r i t e r to
the variation of s t r u c t u r e factor with angle a n d p a r t l y this symposium. I t is shown t h a t the basal reflections are
on the fact t h a t each a n g u l a r position in a band recorded largely sufficient to determine the s t r u c t u r a l g r o u p and
in a powder diagram corresponds to a small range of sub-group of a clay mineral. The determination of chem-
I values. ical species is inherently more difficult to c a r r y t h r o u g h
Theoretical t r e a t m e n t s of diffraction by small, two- by purely X - r a y methods. F r o m an X - r a y and s t r u c t u r a l
dimensional crystal lattices have been given by W a r r e n standpoint, atoms differ in size a n d in scattering power.
(1941), by Wilson (1949), a n d by B r i n d l e y and Mering Therefore in determining chemical species, attention
(1951). B y making certain reasonable assumptions, W a r - must be paid to details of lattice spacings and diffracted
ren was able to arrive at explicit formulae for the dis- intensities. A critical test of the identification of three
tribution of intensity in the ditfraction bands which chlorites is described a n d it is concluded that in favour-
Brindley a n d Robinson (1948) have shown give good able cases the possibility of identifying species by X - r a y
agreement with observed d a t a for halloysite. Brindley analysis can be regarded with restrained optimism. The
and Mering analysed the problem in r a t h e r more detail problems of recognizing s t r u c t u r a l varieties are briefly
b u t the final conclusions were t h a t W a r r e n ' s approxi- outlined a n d the potentialities indicated. Sometimes the
mations were, in most cases, amply good enough. recognition of a p a r t i c u l a r s t r u c t u r a l variety determines
at the same time the chemical species.
There is more difficulty in recognizing the one-dimen-
sional disorder which often takes the form of layer dis- Disorder in clay minerals is of two kinds, namely dis-
placements parallel to the &-axis by amounts of nh„/H. order due to mixed-layer sequences a n d disorder d u e to
Displacements by this simple fraction of a unit cell side layer displacements. The characteristic diffraction phe-
occur in the kaolin- a n d chlorite-type structures be- nomena arising from these disorders a r e discussed a n d
cause, in the hydroxjd sheets of these layers, the ( O H ) the possibilities of studying them in detail are considered.
radicals are situated at intervals of ?)o/3 parallel to the Questions of X - r a y technique are treated briefly with
Z;-axis a n d in consequence a displacement by nho/S special reference to the measurement of long spacings
126 CLAYS AXD CLAY TECIIXOLOGY [BiUl. 169
03 <» QQ CD the clue we were .seeking. Ideally, we want some direct method of
proceeding from the measured spacings and their intensities to the
tyi)es (ff laxers present and their proportions.
In the case where the silicate layers present are of similar
nature, and are separated by interlamellar material of relatively
small scattering jjower, the problem simplifies itself into the de-
termination of the inter-layer spacings present, and Ibe proportiims
in which they are present. This can be done, as Mering (1949) has
pointed out, by calculating the fourier transform of a modified curve
of scattered intensity from the base, as a function of reciprocal
spacing (or, nearly, of angle).
Unfortunately, this curve is very difficult to obtain in practice,
because the scattered intensity is very low in certain regions, and
is liable to be interfered with by non-basal reflections from the
same mineral, and b.v reflections from other minerals. We have
foimd that, where the pattern is one of fairly sharp di.screte lines,
quite a lot of information can be obtained by calculating the much
simpler function :
0-5
I,-
— COS 2 TT [Ir R,
\.&\F,
where Ir~ integrated intensit.v of cth line; F ; = scattering
function for a single layer (this is a function of /j.) ; ^r = recip-
rocal spacing corresponding to rth line; i? = interlayer separation
in A.
This is a very simple summation, having only as many terms ;is
there are lines. The resulting function of 7?. when plotted, should
show peaks corresponding to the interlayer distances present, their
heights giving the proportions in which they occur. The function
may be regarded either as a simplified fourier transform, or as a
Patterson function with non-rational indices, i.e., with infinite
unit cell.
Often, owing to the i)aucity of observations, the series is arbi-
FiGi'EE 5. Calculated series for mixtures of lOA and 1 2 . 4 A trarily cut off at a certain term. This gives rise to diffraction, i.e.,
spaciiis's with mica-type layers. The number attached to each curve to spurious peaks, as w'ith an ordinary Patterson summation, and
fiives the proportion of the higher sijaeing. The ordinates of these the remedy is the same, to smooth the series by arbitrarily reduc-
curves are proportional to the probability of findins: a layer at a ing the higher-order terms, i.e., by multiplying the intensities by
gi\en tlistant'e from any layer chosen as origin : the (arbitrary) a function which diminishes with increasing /i. This broadens the
zero level is not shown. The letters indicate the significance of the peaks, making exact spacing measurements difficult, so it may he
peaks, A meaning a lOA spacing, and B a 12.4A spacing; thus convenient to calcuhite both the smoothed and the unsmoothed
AAB is a peak which arises from two spacings of the first type plus series. The second will give the accurate spacing values, and any
one of the second (in any order). The meaning of the dotted curve peaks not common to the two series will be rejected. There are
is e-xplained in the text. From MncKtrnn, Xntiire, v. 171. other refinements and snags, which cannot be described in detail
here.
Figures 4 and 5 show what can be done, even with very restricted
G. W. Brindley: information. Figure 4 gives the diffraction to be expected from
The effect of strongly absorbing constituents in a composite mixed-layer structures containing mica-type layers with sepa-
powder is (piite complex and has been discussed by several writers rations of 10 and 12.4A, in the proportions shown. These curves
(Brindley, 1945; Wolff. 1937; Wilchinsky, 1951'). Mention may are calculated by Brown and Ma_cEwan (1950), and do not go
also be made of the effect of an amorphous skin on crystalline beyond /x = .'-(5, i.e., d = 2.8 A (ij. being arbitrarily defined as
particles. Such a skin diminishes the reflected intensity both by its 100/^/), there being only three i>eaks in this region, one of them
non-<'rystalline character and by its absorption. Such an effect has rather diffuse. Figure 5 shows the smoothed summation from these
been demonstrated quantitatively by Xagelschmidt et al. (1952). three peaks. For comparison, an unsmoothed summation corre-
sponding to the last of the three curves is also shown, in dotted
line.
D. M. C. MacEwan:
It is easy to see that the initial ])ortion of the summiitions
A problem which quite commonly turns up in dealing with X-ray gives lis very adequate information about the .spacings present,
diffraction by clay minerals is that of random interstratification. and their proportions. Taking the / = 0.7 curves as an example,
This consists in the interleaving of diff'erent layers, in a manner we see from the dotted curve that the spacings present are 10 A
which may be either regular or random. The layers may be either at 12.4 A. The heights of these peaks are in the ratio of .'54:66.
of different structural types, e.g., kaolinite and montmorillonite, ov which is near enough to the true value of .'50:70. There is some
may consist of layers of the same structural type, but with different difliculty in determining the true zero level from which to measure
thicknesses of interlamellar material, water or organic molecules— these heights, but this cannot be discussed in detail here. Com-
e.g., partially hydrated halloysite (Brindley and Goodyear 1948), l)arison of the dotted and full curves shows that peaks at 4 A.
partially expanded montmorillonite, chlorite, and swelling chlorite 6.5 A, 15.5 A and 19 A, may be rejected as being the result of
(Stephen and MacEwan 1951). diftraetion. Thus only the.se two spacings are present.
The basal series of reflections from such material may contain The other peaks at larger values of 7i* result from second nearest
broad bands, but quite often it consists of lines which are not very neighbors, third nearest neighbors, etc.. and from them we may, in
noticeably less sharp than those from other fine-grained material, principle, determine whether the mixture of layers is completely
but which do not form a rational series of orders, i.e., a series with random, ordered, or partially ordered. Thus, if we had a regular
sjiaciugs in the ratios 1 : i : J : . . . . Whenever such an irrational alternation of layers. ABAB . . . . we should get a large AB peak,
series is present, we may suspect random interstratification. but no .4.4 and no BB. If we had a complete segregation of the
We are then confronted with the problem of finding out what two types, we should get AA and BB, but no AB. A little consid-
such a non-rational series of lines means. Sometimes they may be eration will show that, with a completely random mixture of layers,
modified, e.g., by removing water, or by saturating the material we would expect the heights of AA, AB, and BB to be in the ratio
with glycerol or glycol; and the modifications in the pattern of 9 : 4 2 : 4 9 with .30 percent A. This is clearly very close to what is
lines may give us a clue to what was originally present. This can- found, so we may say that the mixture is essentially a random one.
not always be done however, nor is it always sufficient to give us and this of course is the correct answer.
128 CLAYS AND CLAY TECHNOLOGY I Bull. 169
These tiummatiou.s are very sensitive to tlic value of iir but are G. W. Brindley:
relatively little affected eveu by iiuite lartje cbanses in Ir \ Fi ] -'. If one could follow the fluctuation of density along the diffraction
Thus we may expect that they will fjive the correct answer even lines in reciproc.-il sp.ace, then one would know there was some
when there is some uncertainty about the nature of the layers, and degree <if order in the way in which the plates were stacked.
therefore about the values of Fi.
SELECTED REFERENCES
H. F. Coffer:
When is orientation of d a y particles in a sample desirable and Alexanian, C , and Wey, R., 19.jl, Sur Texistence d'uue r.aie
when is it not'.' intense a 'A2X environ dans le diagrainme de rayons X de pla-
(piettes de montinorillonite orientee: Acad. Sci. Paris comptes
G. W. Brindley: remlus. v. '2H'2. ])\). IS.").")-,"*!).
Orientation is desirable when you want to brin;;- out the basal Kannister, F . A., and Whittard, W. F., 194."), A magnesian
reflections, particularly those at hisher anvil's, so that they can be chamosite from the Wenhick limestone of Wickwar, Gloucester-
differentiated with certainty from other reflections. On the other shire : Jlineralog. Mag., v. 27, iip. 90-111.
hand if you want to compare the intensities of the reflections ill F>radley, AV. F., 19.">(), The alternating layer sequence of rec-
order to check on a structure analysis, then, of course, you wish torite : Am. Mineralogist, v. So, pp. .j90-.j9r).
to measure the intensities without the coin]dications introduced by Rrindley. G. W., 194.">, The effect of grain or iiarticle size on
orientation. In a recent structure analysis of aniesitc (I'rindley X-ray reflection from mixed powders and alloys, considered in
et al. I'.tol ) both single-crystal and powder analyses were employed. relation to the (luantitative determination of crystalline subst.ances
In order to interpret the powder intensities it was necessary to by X-ra,v methods: London, Edinburgh, and Dublin I*liilos. i l a g .
incorporate an orientation factt)r. and .lour. Sci., v. 'Mi, 7th ser., pp. H17-.H(i9.
Brindley, (i. W., Editor. 19.")1, X-ray identificati<ui and crystal
T. F. Bates: fttructures of clay minerals: ^^45 pp., ilineralog. Soc, L(nidon.
I believe that electriui diffraction will very soon be an important (Clay ^linerals Group).
means of studying the clay minerals, particularly the diffraction Rrindley, (i. \V., and MacEwan, D.M.C, 195.'!, Ceramics—a
from single crystals. This can be done liy usins the I'hilips electron symposium: British Ceramic Soc. Trans., pp. 15-.59.
microscope, the new electron dift'raction attachment RCA instru- Brindley, G. \V., and Goodyear, J., 1948. X-ray studies of hal-
ment, or possibly by micro-manipulation and hand-picking some of loysite and metahalloysite. P a r t I I . The transition of halloysite
these tiny microscopically visible crystals and placing them in the to metahalloysite in relation to relative humiditv; Mineralog.
KC'A electron-diffraction unit so that one knows that he deals with Mag., v. 28, pp. 407-422.
a single crystal. lirindley, (!. W., and Mering, .!., 1951, Diffractions des rayons
X par les structures en couches de Desordonnees. I : Acta Crystal-
D. M. C. MacEwan: lograpliica, v. 4, pp. 441-447.
The electron-dift'raction patterns of highly oriented and extremely Brindley, G. W., Oughton, B. M., and Robinson, K., 19.50, Poly-
thin films of clay with the electron beam passing normally through morphism of the ehlorites. I. Ordered structures : Acta Crystallo-
them are particularly useful. Such a pattern includes only the (hJc) graphica, v. 3, pp. 408-416.
or the (hW) lines. If X-rays give diff'use (hk) bands, then electron Brindley, G. W., Oughton, B. M., and Youell, R. F., 1951, The
diffraction will give sharp lines, because with electron diffraction crystal structure of amesite and its thermal decomposition : Acta
only the initial part of the band is observed. If X-rays give a series Crystallograi)hica, v. 4, pp. 5.52-557.
of lines with (hkO), (hkl), and others, then, in general, electron Brindley, G. W., and Robinson, K., 1946, The .structure of
diffraction will only give the (hkO). That means that the jiattern is kaolinite : Mineralog. Mag., v. 27, pp. 242-253.
very much simpler than an X-ray ijattern. I t will be easy to pick Brindley, G. W., and Robinson, K., 1948, X-ray studies of hal-
out materials of different chemical compositions in a mixture. For loysite and metahalloysite: Alineralog. Mag., v. 28, pp. 393-40(i.
the majorit.y of the clay minerals the lines are in a perfect hex- Brindley, G. W., and Robinson, K., 1951, The chlorite minerals.
agonal pattern, and they can be indexed with hexagonal indices ; in Brindley, G. W., Editor, X-ray identification and crystal struc-
that is true even if the materials themselves are not hexagonal in tures of clay minerals: Chap. 6, pp. 173-198, Mineralog. Soc.
symmetry, as of course they generally are not. With nontronite and London. (Clay Minerals Grouj)).
moutmorillonite or nontronite and mica, one gets a complete series Brown, G., 195], Nomenclature of the mica clay minerals, in
of hexagonal lines from each and the lines can easily be separated Brindley, (i. W., P>litor. X-ray identification and crystal structures
out into the two separate series. For certain mixtures, such as of clay minerals: Chap. 5, part I I , pp. 155-172, Mineralog. Soc,
nontronite and pyrophyllite, an X-ray pattern is much more com- I^ondon. ((31ay Minerals (Jroup).
pli<^ated. Electron diffraction, however, has the disadvantage that Brown, G., and MacEwan, D. M. C , 1950, The interpretation of
the basal reflections are very difBcult to observe ; they tend to be X-ray diagrams of soil clays. I I . Structures with random inter-
very diffuse, usually they are completely coUaiised. Montmorillonite, stratification: Soil Sci. Jour., v. 1, pp. 239-253.
e.g., gives 9.t> A and is indistinguishaiile from pyrophyllite in that Brown, G., and MacEwan, I). M. C, 1951, X-ray diffraction by
range. structures with random interstratification, in Brindley, G. W.. Edi-
tor, X-ray identification and crystal structures of clay minerals :
G. W. Brindley: Chap. 11, pp. 2()t;-284, Mineralog. Soc, London. (Clay Minerals
The fact that the electron diffraction picture shows a hexagonal Group).
pattern of spots for montmorillonite and similar crystals has in the Caillere, S., Mathieu-Sicaud, A., and Henin, S., 19.50, X'ouvel
past led people to conclude that the crystals are well ordered and es.sai d'identification du mineral de la Table pres AUevard, I'alle-
are giving three-dimensional diffraction effects. This, of course, is vardite: Soc. Francais Mineralogie Crvstallographie Bull., v. 73,
not the case. The explanation is most easily given in terms of the pp. 193-201.
reciprocal lattice. The reciprocal lattice of a single sheet of atoms Bngelhardt, W. von, 1942, Die Strukturen von Thuringit, Bavalit
consists of continuous lines rather than of discrete spots as for und Chamosit uiid ihre Stellung in der Chloritgruppe (The struc-
well-ordered crystals. The intersection of these continuous lines tures of thuringite, bavalite, and chamosite and their position in
with the Ewald sphere (or plane) of reflection gives rise to the the chlorite group) ; Zeitsehr. Kristallographie, Band 104, pp.
spots seen in the electron diffraction picture. If one could turn 142-159.
the crystal around and view the reciprocal lattice at a more suit- Grim, R. E., and Bradley, AV. F., 1951, The mica clay minerals,
able angle, then the continuous nature of the diffraction would be in Brindley, G. AA'., Editor, X-ray identification and crystal struc-
revealed with electrons just as it is revealed with X-rays. Some of tures of clay minerals: Chap. 5, part I, pp. 138-154, Mineralog.
the photographs taken by Finch have in fact shown this (MacEwan Soc, London. (Clay Minerals (Jroup).
and Finch 1950). Hendricks, S. B., and Jefferson, M. E., 1939, Polymorphism of
the micas, with optical measurements : Am. Mineralogist, 24, pp.
W. F. Bradley: 729-771.
The technique of tilting clay slides for electron diffraction, so Hendricks, S. B., and Ross, C. S., 19,38, Lattice limitation of
montmorillonite: Zeitsehr. Kristallographie, Band 100, pp. 251-204.
that the sphere of diffraction cuts an inclined section in reciprocal Hendricks, S. B., and Teller, E., 1942, X-ray interference in
space was illustrated by Hendricks in his early work (Hendricks partiallv ordered laver lattices: Jour. Chem. Physics, v. 10, pp.
and lioss 1938). 147-167.
P a r t 1111 METHODS OF IDENTIFYING CLAYS AND INTERPKETATIOX OF R E S U L T S 129
Jackson, M. L., Hseung, Y., Corey, R. B., Evans, E. J., and Nagelschmidt, G., 1941, The identification of clay minerals by
Heuvel, R. C. V., 1952, Weathering sequence of clay-size minerals means of aggregate X-ray diffraction diagrams : Jour. Sci. Instru-
in soils and sediments. I I . Chemical weathering of layer silicates : ments, v. 18, pp. 100-101.
Soil Sci. Soc. America P r o c , v. 16, pp- 3-6. Nagelschmidt, G., Gordon, R. L., and Griflin, O. G., 1952, Sur-
Kerr, P . P., 1950, Analytical data on reference clay minerals : face of finely ground silica: Nature, v. 169, pp. 538-540.
Am. Petroleum Inst. Proj. 49, Prelim. Rept. 7, 160 pp., New York, Stephen, I., and MacEwan, D. M. C , 1951, Some chloritic min-
Columbia University. erals of unusual type: Clay Minerals Bull., v. 1, pp. 157-162.
MacEwan, D. M. C , 1946, The identification and estimation of Walker, G. F., 1949, Distinction of vermiculite, chlorite, and
montmorillonite group of minerals, with special reference to soil montmorillonite in clays : Nature, v. 164, pp. 577-578.
clays: Soc. Chem. Industry Jour., v. 65, pp. 298-304. Warren, B. E., 1941, X-ray diffraction in random layer lattices :
MacEwan, D. M. C , 1951, The montmorillonite minerals (mont- Physical Rev., v. 59, pp. 693-698.
morillonoids), in Brindley, G. W., Editor, X-ray identification and Wilchinsky, Z. W., 1951, Effect of crystal, grain, and particle
crystal structures of clay minerals : Chap. 4, pp. 86-137, Jlineralog. size on X-ray power diffracted from powder; Acta Crystallogra-
Soc, London. (Clay Minerals Group). phica, V. 4, pp. 1-9.
MacEwan, D. M. C , and Finch, G. I., 1950, Electron diUfraction Wilson, A. J . C , 1949, X-ray diffraction by random layers, ideal
by montmorillonite: Paper read to Claj- ilinerals Group, April 29, line profiles and determitiation of structure amplitudes from ob-
1950 (unpublished). served line profiles: Acta Crystallographica, v. 2, pp. 245-251.
Mering, J., 1949, L'interferenee des rayons X dans les systfemes Wilson, A. J . C , 1950, Geiger-counter X-ray spectrometer—in-
fluence of size and absorption coeffieient of specimen on position
a stratification desordonnee : Acta Crystallographica, v. 2, pp. 371- and shape of powder diffraction maxima : Jour. Sci. Instruments,
377. V. 27, pp. 321-325.
Mering, J., 1950, Les reflexions des rayons X par les minereux Winchell, A. N., 1936, A third study of chlorite : Am. Mineralo-
argileux interstratifies: Fourth Internat. Cong. Soil Sci., Amster- gist, v. 21, pp. 642-651.
dam Trans., v. 3, pp. 21-26. W'olff, P . M. de, 1937, A theory of X-ray absorption in mixed
Nagelschmidt, G., 1937, X-ray investigations of clays. P a r t I I I . powders: Physica, v. 13, pp. 62-78.
The differentiation of micas by X-ray powder photographs: Wolff, P. M. de, 1948, Multiple Guinier cameras: Acta Crys-
Zeitschr. Kristallographie, Band 97, pp. 514-521. tallographica, V. 1, pp. 207-211.
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