Synthesis and characterization of acid-activated bentonite from Aceh Tamiang

Abstract

Bentonite is new class of microporous materials with high surface areas which have been extensively studied as interesting material in catalyst application and adsorbents. The characterization of bentonite were performed using Infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray Diffraction, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) instruments. The results showed that the characteristic of natural bentonite and acid-activated bentonite does not give significant different results. XRD pattern of natural bentonite and acid-activated bentonite indicates those bentonites have the main content such as montmorillonite, quartz and alumina. The TEM profile showed the basal spacing in layered structure of acid-activated bentonite was increasing compared to the natural bentonite. The natural bentonite showed the characteristic absorption peaks such as Si-O, Al-O, Si-O-Si which is observed at wave numbers 1149,57 cm−1, 945,12 cm−1, 640 cm−1, and 459 cm−1 but the acid-activated bentonite only showed the characteristic absorption peaks such as Si-O and Al-O which is observed at wave numbers 1018,41 cm−1and 493,78 cm−1. The absorption intensity of streching – OH peak on acid-activated bentonite higher than natural bentonite. It indicates that the bentonite after activation is more pure compared to bentonite before activated.