The effect of organic cation content on the interlayer spacing, surface area and porosity of methyltributylammonium-smectite

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 2008-03, Vol.317 (1), p.323-327
• Main Authors: ONAL, Müserref, SARIKAYA, Yüksel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basal spacing; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; FTIR spectra; General and physical chemistry; Methyltributylammonium cation; Organomectites; Pore volume; Porous materials; Surface area; Surface physical chemistry
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2007.10.029

To examine the effect of the organic cation content on the porous structure of an organosmectite, a sodium-rich smectite (NaS) with a cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 1.08 mol kg −1 was intercalated with methyltributylammonium cations (MTBA +) equivalent to 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 times the CEC. The prepared methyltributylammonium smectite (MTBAS) samples were examined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and low temperature nitrogen adsorption–desorption techniques. The basal spacing of the MTBASs, d(0 0 1), obtained from the XRD data, widens from 1.21 to 1.58 nm as the content of MTBA + increase from 0 to 1.0 time the CEC. The FTIR spectra of the MTBASs display the typical bands related to NaS plus extra bands attributable to the presence of MTBA +. As the extent of intercalation increases the specific surface area ( S) increases from 61 to 106 m 2 g −1 and specific micro–mesopore volume ( V) from 0.11 to 0.25 cm 3 g −1. The increase in the S and V values shows that the intercalated MTBA + cations simply act as pillars to hold the 2:1 layers of the NaS permanently apart, and therefore, the intercalation ends up with the formation an adsorptive-type organosmectite. Otherwise, it would be formed an organic partition nanophase and also a sorptive-type organosmectite.