Moessbauer effect study on the effect of gamma irradiation and heat treatment on montmorillonite

Moessbauer spectroscopy was used to study the effect of gamma irradiation and heat treatment on montmorillonite. Samples were irradiated with gamma ray doses ranging from 10 Gy up to 30 MGy, other samples were heated at different temperatures from 400 degree C up to 1350 degree C degree. Results indicated that gamma rays do not effect the structural iron but the extraneous iron. The phase transformations which occurred through and a above the dehydroxilation temperature range could be traced and identified. The Moessbauer results were confirmed by x-ray diffraction results. 1 fig., 1 tab