Kaolinite: Occurrences, Characteristics & Applications

Kaolinite is a clay mineral and part of the group of industrial minerals. Kaolinite clay occurs in abundance in soils that have formed from the chemical weathering of rocks in hot, moist climates. Kaolin is used in ceramics, medicine, coated paper, as a food additive in toothpaste, as a light diffusing material in white incandescent light bulbs and in cosmetics. This book presents current research in the study of the occurrences, characteristics and applications of kaolinite, including applying kaolinite-mullite reaction series to immobilise toxic metals in the environment; hybrid materials based on kaolinite as multifunctional materials; shear-thickening behaviour of highly concentrated kaolin dispersions and modified vermiculite and kaolinite precursors for nanocomposites.