The Characterization Studies Of The Northwest Anatolıan Halloysites/Kaolinites

The extraction and characterization studies were carried out on representative samples which were taken from iron bearing parts of halloysite, halloysite/kaolin deposits located in the vicinity of Çanakkale and Balıkesir in Northwest Anatolia. Halloysites in these samples are generally in the form of hydro halloysite (10 Å) and kaolinite could also be encountered in some parts. The primary impurities in halloysite and kaolin deposits are limonite (geothite) and muscovite. These deposits might contain quartz, feldspar, gibbsite, smectite group clay minerals and anatase in their structures. The iron content of the clays can be reduced significantly by hydrochloric or oxalic acid treatments. Transmission electron Microscope (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses on halloysite samples were carried out and it was noticed that halloysite tubes were in cylindrical shape, and in some cases; pores on their surfaces could be observed as a structural feature. In samples studied, tube lengths were measured up to 5 μm by means of SEM analyses, however; TEM analyses have indicated that internal diameters of tubes could decrease down to 5nm and their average diameters ranged in between 40 ? 50 nm.