A hydrated kaolinite-methanol intercalation compound (Kaol-MeOH (hydrated)) was synthesized by utilizing kaolinite/dimethyl sulfoxide intercalation compound (Kaol-DMSO) as an intermediary, and further displacement intercalation with butyl trimethylammonium chloride (BTAC) was also carried out. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed that the d001 value of the Kaol-MeOH (hydrated) could be arbitrary values between 0.86 and 1.08 nm, which could be caused by the hydrogen-bonded MeOH or water molecules between the interlayer spaces of methoxy-modified Kaol. Furthermore, this part of interlayer molecules could be removed by heating and have no obvious effect on the subsequent intercalation reaction. In addition, the time required for Kaol-MeOH (hydrated) preparation was drastically shortened to 3 days, which greatly reduces the time-consuming for the preparation of subsequent compounds.

Kaolinite-methanol-sodium stearate intercalation compound (Ka-MeOH-SS) was prepared by intercalation of kaolinite with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) followed by displacing of DMSO with methanol and methanol by sodium stearate. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (thermogravimetry (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the basal spacing of Ka-MeOH-SS was enlarged to 45.5-47.9 Å and parts of its layers cocked and curled. Stearate ions were grafted on the methoxy groups and arrayed aslant in the interlayer space of kaolinite with an inclination angle of 47.45º to 52.17º. Sodium ions were adsorbed around the SiO4 tetrahedron and interlayer carboxylate anions, whereas some of them entered into the ditrigonal hole of tetrahedral sheets. The thermal de-intercalation of Ka-MeOH-SS includes three steps and the activation energy E is 98.3 kJ mol−1, logarithm of pre-exponential factor lg(A / s-1 is 9.71 and the mechanism function is f(α) = −ln (1 − α) and G(α) = 1 − α.