Kaolinite
Kaolinite
Kaolinite (/ˈkeɪəlɪnaɪt/) is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals with the chemical composition Al2Si2O5(OH)4. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica (SiO4) linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina (AlO6) octahedra.
Etymology
The name "kaolinite" is derived from the name of the Chinese town Kao-Ling (or Gaoling, "High Ridge"), located in the Jiangxi Province of southeast China, where the mineral was first identified.
Related Terms
- Clay: A natural, earthy material consisting primarily of anhydrous aluminum silicates.
- Silicate: Any of numerous compounds containing silicon, oxygen, and one or more metals.
- Alumina: A compound of aluminum and oxygen that is often used in the production of aluminum.
- Tetrahedral: A geometric shape in three dimensions with four faces, all of which are triangles.
- Octahedral: A geometric shape in three dimensions with eight faces, all of which are triangles.
Uses
Kaolinite has a low shrink-swell capacity and a low cation-exchange capacity, making it ideal for many industrial applications. Uses include the manufacture of items such as porcelain, china, and earthenware; and in the creation of paper, rubber, paint, and many other products.
Health Effects
Inhalation of kaolinite dust can cause lung damage, known as kaolin pneumoconiosis.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Kaolinite
- Wikipedia's article - Kaolinite
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski