Abstract
Three sepiolites with differences in composition and structural ordering were treated with 0.2N HCl and 0.2N HNO3 solutions assisted with microwave radiation. This treatment caused in the firsts 16min the progressive Mg2+ depletion of the octahedral sheet, the gradual degradation of the sepiolite structure and the formation of an amorphous silica phase which contributes to a noticeable increase of the BET specific surface area. The assistance of microwaves during the acid treatment allows us to get specific surface areas equivalent to those obtained after 48h with conventional heating methods. The influence of mineralogical impurities, “crystallinity” and chemical composition on the reactivity of sepiolite were also studied.
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