Abstract
Dry saturation of clays from the Maastrichtian-Danian Dakhla Formation, comprising high smectite clays, using 3% potassium bromide (KBr) at 300oc resulted in a partial transformation of the original Ca-smectite to mixed-layer illite-smectite like structure. The clays' wet saturation mentioned above with 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 9.0% potassium chloride (KCl) at room temperature causes a full transformation of smectite layers to a mixed clay-like structure. The rate of transformation is directly proportional to K+ ion concentration. The K+ ions are fixed in smectite by filling vacancies left by Ca++ ions. The change of temperature from room temperature to 80 °C slightly reduces the original smectite's transformation rate, while the increase of maturation time shows no effect. The transformation of smectite to mixed clay layer like structure is accompanied by a decrease in the linear shrinkage and drying sensitivity coefficient of the original clays. The Dakhla clays' wet saturation with 1.0% KCl at room temperature is the most suitable treatment to enhance the studied clays' ceramic properties as raw material for brickmaking. The linear shrinkage and drying sensitivity coefficient of the treated clay samples under these conditions results in new properties similar to those exhibited by Nile River-silts, which are the traditional raw material for brickmaking in Egypt.
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