Characterization and pillaring of a Turkish bentonite (Resadiye)

The shifts of the SiOSi stretching and the SiOAl and SiOSi bending modes, as well as the free silica peak in the IR spectra and the strengthening of the XRD reflections due to the quartz and α-cristobalite components of the Al-pillared bentonites (Wyoming and Resadiye), are ascribed to the formation of new SiOAl groups of covalent character. The mass losses in the temperature range 150–700 °C correspond to the dehydration and dehydroxylation processes. The total mass losses of the Al-pillared bentonites (Wyoming and Resadiye) are close to each other at an OH/Al ratio of 2.2, but calcination from 400 to 600 °C causes the surface area of the latter composite to decrease by 13%.

The shifts of the SiOSi stretch and the SiOAl and SiOSi bending modes in the IR spectra, the characteristic XRD reflections, and the surface area decrease by 13% upon calcination up to 600 °C of Al-pillared bentonite (Resadiye) are all evidence for the formation of oxocationic pillar props.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide