Abstract
As a high-temperature sorbent, kaolinite undergoes the flash calcination process in the furnace resulting in the dehydroxylation and structural distortion, which are closely related to its heavy metal/alkali metal adsorption characteristics. We investigated the flash calcination of kaolinite by the experiments using a drop tube furnace and by the characterization of flash-calcined products using thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimeter (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR)and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). There were three kinds of hydroxyl groups in kaolinite during flash calcination at 800–1300 °C, E-type (~50%, easy), D-type (~40%, difficult) and U-type (~10%, unable) according to the removal difficulty. The hydroxyl groups activation was believed to be the first step of the removal of E-type and D-type hydroxyl groups. The kinetics model of dehydroxylation groups at 900–1200 °C was established following Arrhenius equation with the activation energy of 140 kJ/mol and the pre-exponential factor of 1.32 × 106 s−1. At 800 °C, the removal of E-type hydroxyl groups resulted in the conversion of a part of VI-coordinated Al in kaolinite to V-coordinated Al and the production of meta-kaolinite. When the temperature rose up to 1200 °C, mullite was produced and a part of V-coordinated Al converted to IV-coordinated Al and VI-coordinated Al. Finally, the adsorption characteristics of kaolinite was discussed according to the results of dehydroxylation and structural distortion.
Highlights
IntroductionBiomass and solid waste contain Na, K, Pb, Cd and other alkali/heavy metals
Coal, biomass and solid waste contain Na, K, Pb, Cd and other alkali/heavy metals
These hydroxyl groups are divorced from kaolinite
Summary
Biomass and solid waste contain Na, K, Pb, Cd and other alkali/heavy metals. Kaolinite can adsorb alkali/heavy metal vapor at high temperatures, and be captured by dust removal equipment [6,7,8]. The hydroxyl groups in kaolinite exist in the form of inner-surface hydroxyl groups and inner hydroxyl groups. They are written as H2 O in the chemical formula of kaolinite (Al2 O3 ·2SiO2 ·2H2 O) [9,10]. At high temperatures, these hydroxyl groups are divorced from kaolinite
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