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Lithium Nitrate Fusion for Characterizing Layer Silicates in Disordered Soil Clays¹

ABSTRACT

The clay components in many Texas soils are difficult to identify using standard X-ray diffraction techniques because of the diffuse and weak diffraction maxima corresponding to 001 spacings greater than 10A. After fusion of the clay fraction in LiNO₃ for 18 hours at 300C, diffractograms with a strong diffraction peak at 18A were obtained. Mixed layered assemblages apparently cause the poor diffraction effects in untreated samples. Fusion with LiNO₃ removes interlayer K⁺ allowing expansion to 18A of Mg-saturated, glycerol solvated samples. X-ray diffraction analysis after LiNO₃ fusion clearly establishes the crystallinity of the clay and increases the sensitivity of the X-ray diffraction method to the presence of dioctahedral 2:1 layer structured minerals.

¹ Contribution from Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., College Station.

² Postdoctoral Research Associate, Louisiana State University, Professor of Soil Mineralogy and Dean of the Graduate College, Texas A&M University, respectively. First author formerly graduate assistant, Texas A&M University.

Received for publication April 4, 1972. Accepted for publication September 29, 1972.