Role of the surface treatment in the deflocculation of kaolinite

Suspensions of untreated and properly treated Na-exchanged kaolinite have been subjected to rheological investigations using sodium hexametaphosphate (NaHMP) or sodium disilicate (DIS) as deflocculants. The treatment of the clay consisted of a 24 h contact with solutions of NaHMP or DIS and separation of the resulting solid phase. This was then used to form the suspensions subjected to the rheological measurements. The results indicate that the dispersion ability of each deflocculants is remarkably influenced by the type of treatment. In particular, with respect to the untreated kaolinite, the efficiency of DIS is dramatically increased when the clay has been previously treated with a NaHMP solution. On the other hand, a decrease in the dispersant ability of NaHMP is observed from the untreated kaolinite to the one previously treated with DIS.