Infrared spectroscopy of organoclays synthesized with the surfactant octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy using a smart endurance single bounce diamond attenuated total reflection (ATR) cell has been used to study the changes in the spectra of the surfactant octadecyltrimethylammonium (ODTMA) bromide upon intercalation into a sodium montmorillonite. The wavenumbers of bands attributed to CH-stretching and CH-bending vibrations, in general, decrease as the concentration of the surfactant measured in terms of the cation exchange capacity (CEC) up to 1.0 CEC. After this point, the bands increase approaching a value the same as that of the surfactant. Significant changes occur in the HCH deformation modes of the methyl groups of the surfactant. These changes are attributed to the methyl groups locking into the siloxane (SiO) surface of the montmorillonite. Such a concept is supported by changes in the SiO-stretching bands of the montmorillonite siloxane surface.