Mössbauer investigations of palygorskite from Xuyi, China

The original palygorskite clay mineral has been collected from Longwangshan, Xuyi, Jiangsu Province, China. XRF analysis was performed to study its chemical compositions. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA) were used to study the weight loss due to dehydration and dehydroxylation. Then eight samples were prepared by heating at various temperatures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Mössbauer spectra were measured to study the crystal evolvement and the occupation of iron cations. It revealed that the iron ions occupied the M1 and M2 with the ratio closed to 3:1. Hematite has been observed when heated at 650 °C, which indicated that iron cations mainly occupy M1 sites. An unknown silicate was identified when heated at 750 °C and dominated at 850 °C.