Abstract

The object of the study is the analysis of smectite content in selected Krakowiec clays that are basic materials for construction ceramics industry in south-eastern Poland. The studies were carried out mainly by means of sorption-spectrophotometric methods with copper (II) triethylenetetramine (TETA Cu(II)) and methylene blue. The results differed in respect to each other and differences of determination were as high as 6%. It was found that more accurate analysis of smectite content can be achieved using ion-exchange sorption of copper complex. Studied clays have variable content of smectite in the range of 13 – 20%. In order to verify determination results, X-ray and particle size distribution analysis were also performed. The increased chlorite content in studied samples and the partial coincidence of its most diagnostically useful low-angle reflection (14 Å) with the smectite reflection 12.5-15 Å have made it impossible to accurately estimate content of the latter.

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