Ceramics-Silikáty 17, (3) 183 - 193 (1973)

In their natural condition, clay minerals are mostly in the form of crystal aggregates. Extensive stressing of kaolin or clay pastes in shear combined with the effects of a suitable electrolyte brings about delamination of the crystal aggregates without causing damage to the individual crystals. By delaminating synthetic mixtures of coarse-grained kaolin from the Plzeň region, kaolin from Karlovy Vary, and that from Podbořany with Braňany bentonite and Bulgarian beidellite it was found that the results of this new dressing process are significantly affected by mineralogical composition, morphological and structural properties of clay minerals. Disaggregation of the clay mineral clusters has favourable effects on bending tensile strength and rheological properties.