Abstract
The palygorskite is an aluminum-magnesium silicate that has a fibrous morphology. Their physico-chemical characteristics are the result of high surface area, porosity and thermal resistance which make it an attractive adsorbent. Its adsorption capacity can be increased through chemical reactions and/or heat treatments. The objective of this work is to verify the effects of acid activation on the palygorskite, treated with HCl at 90 oC at concentrations of 2, 4 and 6 mol L-1 in 2 and 4 hours, with clay/acid solution ratio 1 g 10 mL-1 and characterized by techniques: XRF, XRD and surface area. A significant increase in specific surface area was observed in the sample treated with HCl at the concentration 6 mol L-1. The changes were more pronounced at stricter concentrations of acidity, with decreasing intensity of reflection of the clay indicated in the XRD. These changes were confirmed in the XRF with the leaching of some oxides and with increasing concentration of SiO2.
Highlights
Palygorskite is a crystalline hydrated magnesium aluminium silicate that exists in nature as a fibrous mineral with large surface area, excellent chemical stability and strong adsorption properties
It consists of two layers of tetrahedral silica linked by magnesium ions in an octahedral configuration, connected by a continuous plane of tetrahedral basal oxygen atoms[1]
The chemical composition of these mineral clays varies within certain limits according to their origin
Summary
Palygorskite is a crystalline hydrated magnesium aluminium silicate that exists in nature as a fibrous mineral with large surface area, excellent chemical stability and strong adsorption properties. It consists of two layers of tetrahedral silica linked by magnesium ions in an octahedral configuration, connected by a continuous plane of tetrahedral basal oxygen atoms[1]. The tetrahedral basal oxygen atoms invert apical direction at regular intervals coordinating talc like ribbons. Each talc-like ribbon alternates with channels along the fiber axis[2]. Depending on the degree of isomorphous substitution, the ideal palygorskite rich in magnesium or aluminum would be: Si8(Mg5-3xAl2x)
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