Abstract
Smectite is a common clay mineral in nature. Due to its tendency to swell and its strong cation exchange capacity (CEC), smectite is prevalently used in industrial and technological applications. Numerous scholars have explored smectite synthesis, which usually involves autoclaving under high pressure. However, this approach requires an array of expensive equipment, and the process consumes time and energy. This study adopted self-developed equipment to synthesize zinc saponite (Zn-saponite), a type of trioctahedral smectite, using a microwave circulating reflux method under atmospheric pressure. Compared with the conventional hydrothermal methods, the proposed method entails fewer constraints regarding the synthesis environment and can be more easily applied to large-scale synthesis. The phase purity of the synthetic product was examined using X-ray diffraction and the CEC of the product was tested. The results revealed that the microwave circulating reflux method could synthesize Zn-saponite in 16 h under atmospheric pressure, and the CEC of the product reached 120 cmol(+)/kg. In addition, the product exhibited larger basal spacing and a 32% increase in CEC compared with Zn-saponite synthesized using a hot-plate under atmospheric pressure.
Highlights
Smectite is a clay mineral commonly found in nature and an essential ceramic material [1]
Its chemical composition, uneven microporous structure, and high concentration of impurities impede its use in high-level applications such as organo-modifications and catalytic reactions [2]
The method discussed by Bergaya and Vayer [25] was used to measure the cation exchange capacity (CEC)
Summary
Smectite is a clay mineral commonly found in nature and an essential ceramic material [1]. Due to its unique properties, smectite is prevalently used in various industries, including oil drilling, metallurgy, construction, chemical engineering, food manufacturing, aquaculture, and environmental engineering. Its chemical composition, uneven microporous structure, and high concentration of impurities impede its use in high-level applications such as organo-modifications and catalytic reactions [2]. Naturally formed smectite can undergo purification pretreatment, such processes are complex, expensive, and time-consuming, and result in environmental pollution. Synthetic smectite exhibits an even composition and structure, and its physical and chemical properties can be controlled during synthesis. Numerous scholars have explored smectite synthesis [2,3,4,5]
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