Comparative Study of Organoclays with Ionic Surfactant

Abstract

The clays of the smectite group, mainly montmorillonite, are widely used in the production of organoclays due to the small dimensions of the crystals, high cation exchange capacity (CEC), and swelling capacity in water, which lead to a rapid and efficient intercalation of organic compounds used in the synthesis. In this context, this research was intended to make a comparative study of clays organofilized with ionic surfactants through their respective CEC. We selected four samples of bentonites, namely Chocolate (Boa Vista, PB), Brasgel (industrial), Dark Bentonite (Pedra Lavrada, PB) and M400 Bentonite (industrial). The natural samples were characterized through XRD, EDX, TA and GA, and the organofilized ones through XRD. The characterization tests showed that the samples are composed of clay minerals of the smectite group, the CEC values ​​were insignificant changes when comparing the values ​​of natural and activated clays with sodium carbonate. And the levels indicated by the CEC for the ionic surfactant Praepagem HY proved insufficient to transform the organophilic clays, as the nominees for the ionic surfactant Praepagem WB led to adequate results regarding the incorporation of the surfactant in the clay fraction of the studied samples.