Adsorption complexes ‘zeolite–cationic surfactant’: properties and surface activity in a polymer composite material based on ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene

Abstract

We investigated the adsorption of the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to zeolite from premicellar and micellar solutions, as well as some properties of the organically modified zeolite surface and the nature of its interfacial interaction with ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in a UHMWPE-based polymer composite material (PCM). The formation mechanism of mono- and bimolecular adsorption layers of cetyltrimethylammonium cation and bromide anion to the clinoptilolite (Cli) surface was proposed, and the thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of adsorption were determined. The surface texture of organically modified zeolite was studied by instrumental methods; the thermal stability limits of CTAB adsorption layers to zeolite surface and their decomposition behavior in inert and oxidizing media were established. The evaluation of the deformation and strength properties, the study of the supramolecular structure, and the calculation of the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the PCM crystallization process revealed that the filing with organically modified Cli increases the UHMWPE surface activity and improves their compatibility.