Kinetics of Reactions in the Conversion of Na- or Ca-Saturated Clay to H-Al Clay

Abstract

AbstractH-ion was added to Na or Ca bentonite suspensions. The H-ion was added either in solution, as HCl, or adsorbed on a cation exchange resin. The variation with time of the quantities of H and Al in various phases of the system was determined.In the first stage of the reaction both exchangeable H and exchangeable Al on the clay increased rapidly. Several facts showed that the exchangeable Al was not liberated by crystal structure decomposition. It is postulated that its appearance is the result of a rapid dehydroxylation, of hydroxy Al groups located at plate edges or adsorbed on basal planes, producing water and trivalent Al ions.During the second stage of the reaction, spontaneous self-decomposition of the clay structure takes place. It was found that when the H-clay in alone in suspension or with low concentration of acid, the decomposition stops after the liberation of a limited quantity of Al. Most of this Al is adsorbed on the clay and it becomes the prevailing exchangeable ion. On the contrary, when the H-clay is aging in the presence of H-resin, a system of consecutive reactions is operating. In this system, Al liberated from the structure is transferred to the adsorbed state in the clay and from there to the resin. As a result the decomposition reaction does not stop as in the absence of the resin, but is carried further.