How efficiently combine sonochemistry and clay science?

• The combination of clays with sonochemistry demonstrated significant and occasionally surprising synergetic effects.
• Ultrasound can lead to significant changes in the properties and behavior of clays depending on the ultrasonic parameters.
• The rigorous characterization of sonochemical parameters is essential in term of reproducibility and to understand the associated chemistry.
• The clay science/sonochemistry combination opens the door to interesting opportunities in new research areas.

Clays are widespread materials of natural origin, possessing various surface active sites, exchangeable and structural cations, as well as micro- and mesoporous structures that allow their application in ion-exchange, adsorption and catalytic processes. A recent trend has been to combine clays to ultrasound irradiations (sonochemistry) in a range of different applications and the results demonstrate significant and occasionally surprising synergetic effects. Indeed, ultrasound can lead to significant changes in the properties and behaviors of clays depending on the choice of ultrasonic parameters. Here, the advantages and limitations of the clay science/sonochemistry combination have been critically highlighted in different applications, to understand how, and in which respects, ultrasound could become an essential and efficient tool of clay chemistry in the future.

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