TEM observation of interstratified Ni-serpentine/smectite compounds

Interstratified Ni-serpentine/smectite = 2/1 compound was described by tran smission electron microscopy (TEM) for the first time. The image of the lat tice fringe coincided with the result of simulation, and it is clearly diff erent from that of chlorite/smectite = 1/1 mineral which has a similar peri odicity in Xray diffraction pattern. The image of domains curving to the di rection of their serpentine-part, suggested that the surface of the particl e was mainly consisting of Si-O sheets.