Analysis of the morphology of hectorite by use of small-angle X-ray scattering

An analysis of the three-dimensional correlation function of small-angle sc attering is applied for the direct determination of stereological parameter s of hectorite samples. Beside characteristic lengths and volume fractions the specific order distances are given. The samples can be described by hom ogeneous particles of different order magnitudes up to the size of the seco ndary particles, which were estimated to have maximum dimensions of about 4 50 nm. Beside traditional stereological formulas, including the interpretat ion of the derivatives of the small-angle correlation function, the so-call ed transformed correlation function is applied in order to detect distincti ve characteristic lengths.