Pedogenic smectite from a young (Holocene) tropical soil was reacted in Al-rich solution at 150oC for a range of reaction times (3 to 120 days) in order to study mechanisms and rates associated with the transformation of smectite to kaolinite via interstratified kaolinite-smectite (K-S). As has been observed in tropical soils, the overall reaction rate is logarithmic, with rapid initial transfo...
