Intercalation of varios organic species into smectite interlayer

In the present study, organosmectites were prepared by intercalation of dodecyltrimethylammonium and hexadecyltrimethylammonium cations at various ratios into interlayer of smectite. Structural, thermal, morphological and textural properties of the synthesized organo-smectites were investigated by using powder X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared, thermal analyses, scanning electron microscopy, electrophoretic mobility and surface area measurement techniques. The intercalation of the surfactant cations into the interlayer of the smectite lead to varied increases in the basal distances depending on the different arrangements of the surfactant molecules. Modification of smectite with organo-cations led to appreciable decreases in the intensities of the bands at 3402 and 1635 cm-1 and the new characteristic vibrational FT-IR bands at 2927, 2850, 1472 and 722 cm-1 originating from the surfactant molecules were appeared. Thermal analysis data showed that all organo-smectites had lower adsorbed water losses than raw and the removal of surfactant species occurred in the temperature range of 130-720 oC. The specific surface areas, pore volumes and micropore surface areas of organo-smectites decreased while the average pore width of these species increased with respect to that of raw smectite. In addition, the surfactant cations located in the interlayer spaces caused significant alterations in electrophoretic mobility values and morphology of raw smectite. 2019, 60 pages Key Words: Clay, Intercalation, Dodecyltrimethylammonium, Hexadecyltrimethylammonium, Organo-smectite, smectite, surfactant.