Adsorption of alkylamines by a crystalline silicic acid

Abstract

AbstractAmines are strongly adsorbed by the crystalline silica H4Si20O42·4H2O and are intercalated into the interlayer spaces. The adsorption of butyl-, hexyl-, octyl-, and decylamine from alcoholic solutions (ethanol, butanol…decanol) is competitive as both types of molecules, amines and alcohols, are adsorbed in the interlamellar space. The adsorption isotherms are presented as composite isotherms showing the specific reduced surface excess of amine, n°(n)/m, as a function of the molar fraction of amine in the equilibrium solution. These isotherms increase to a plateau-like section (n°(n)/m≈1·4 mmol/g) when the interlamellar adsorption is restricted to formation of monolayers of flat-lying molecules (in water, ethanol and butanol). In the presence of longer chain alcohols, the isotherms increase stepwise to a second "plateau" (at n1°(n)/m = 2·2-2·7 mmol/g) which corresponds to paraffin-type bilayers of amine and alcohol molecules. The composition of the adsorption phase is estimated from the specific reduced surface excess of amine on the basis of the interlamellar structure derived from basal spacing measurements.