Catalysis of aluminosilicate clay minerals to the formation of the transitional zone gas

It has been shown that the major clay minerals of the biothermocatalytic transitional zone source rock are montmorillonite, illite/montmorillonite (I/M) interlayer mineral, illite, kaolinite and chlorite. Within the depth of the transitional zone, montmorillonite could convert to the I/M ordered interlayer mineral via the I/M disordered one, i.e. in the intercrystalline layer of montmorillonite, A1³⁺replaces Si⁴⁺abundantly, resulting in a surface charge imbalance and the occurrenec of a surface acidity. By means of the pyridine analytic method, the surface acidity of these aluminosilicate clay minerals is measured. The catalysis of aluminosilicate clay minerals, such as montmorillonite, illite and kaolinite to the thermo-degraded gas formation of the transitional zone is simulated in the differential thermal analysis-gas chromatography system and the alcohol dehydration catalyzed by clay minerals is employed to discuss this catalytic mechanism. Experiments have shown that montmorillonite is the major catalyst in the formation of the transitional zone gas and it lowers the thermo-degraded temperature of organic matter by 50°C.