Acid-Treated Montmorillonites—A Study by 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The JP (Jelšový Potok, Slovakia) and SWy-1 (Wyoming, USA) montmorillonites were treated in 6 m HCl at 95°C. The rates of dissolution of tetrahedral and octahedral Al (Altet and Aloct) are comparable. Aluminium in the tetrahedral sheets was also identified in both untreated samples by 29Si MAS NMR spectroscopy. About 12% of total Si in SWy-1 was found to be bound in quartz. Traces of undecomposed montmorillonite and a small amount of Altet in the three-dimensional SiO4 framework were found in the reaction product of montmorillonite decomposition. Three different types of structural units were identified in acid-treated samples: Q4(OAl) units of amorphous silica with three-dimensional crosslinked framework; (SiO)3SiOH units, remaining as a result of poor-ordering of the framework without the possibility of cross-linking; and Q4(1A1) units.