Abstract: Intercalation and exfoliation can greatly improve the diameter to thickness ratio,specific surface area and other product specifications of kaolin. It is a key technology for high-end applications of kaolin in biomedicine,rubber,coating,adsorption,catalysis and other fields,and has very important significance for the high quality utilization of kaolin mineral resources. This paper mainly summarizes the research progress of kaolin intercalation and exfoliation at home and abroad in recent years. The influences of intercalation agent type,kaolin origin and intercalation reaction conditions ( temperature,water content and time) on kaolin interlayer spacing and intercalation rate were analyzed. The influences of intercalation technologies such as assisted intercalation and multiple intercalation replacement on kaolin interlayer spacing and intercalation rate are expounded. The influence laws of different process parameters on intercalation efficiency were analyzed,and the exfoliation technologies such as physical exfoliation,chemical exfoliation and physical and chemical exfoliation were described. The influences of exfoliation equipment and process parameters on the layer spacing,layer thickness,specific surface area,pore volume and morphology of kaolin from different producing areas were analyzed. Then,based on the research progress at home and abroad, the problems of intercalation and exfoliation technology,such as intercalation mechanism,intercalation agent pollution,low diameter to thickness ratio of kaolin and instability of nanosheets,were discussed in depth,and the future development direction of kaolin intercalation and stripping was prospected. The development and popularization of green and efficient intercalation exfoliation technology is of great significance to the production of high-end kaolin mineral powder and the development and utilization of high-performance materials in downstream industry.

Key words: kaolin,nano-kaolinite,intercalation,exfoliation