Mineralogical study and porosimetry measurements of zeolites from Scaloma area, Thrace, Greece

The zeolites of the Skaloma area, Thrace, Greece, were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), N2-porosimetry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG) was also applied. The main mineral constituent is “heulandite type-II”, an intermediate type of the isomorphous series heulandite–clinoptilolite end members. Significant amounts of mordenite were found to contribute to the mineral structure as a secondary zeolitic phase. Traces of feldspars, muscovite, cristobalite and smectite were also detected. The surface properties of the zeolitic material, as derived from the N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms at normal boiling temperature, were found to depend strongly on the pretreatment (degassing) conditions.