Influences of quartz and muscovite on the formation of mullite from kaolinite

Abstract

A kaolin containing muscovite and quartz (K-SZ) and a pure kaolin (K-SX) with the addition of potassium feldspar, K2SO4 and quartz, respectively, were used to investigate the influences of muscovite and quartz on the formation of mullite from kaolinite in the temperature range 1000–1500°C. In K-SZ formation of mullite began at 1100°C, and in K-SX at 1000°C. In K-SZ quartz accelerated the formation of cristobalite and restrained the reaction of mullite and silica. Muscovite in K-SZ acted as a fluxing agent for silica and mullite before 1400°C and accelerated the formation of cristobalite. The FTIR band at 896.8cm−1 was used to monitor the formation of orthorhombic mullite.