Question: what are the main differences between kaolinite and montmorillonite clays?
Answer: First, kaolinite is a 1:1 mineral, meaning each layer consists of 1 aluminum octahedral sheet and 1 silica tetrahedral sheet, while Montmorillonite is a 2:1 mineral, each layer consisting of 2 silica tetrahedral sheets around an aluminum octahedral sheet.