Effect of thermal treatment on lanthanide montmorillonites: dehydration

Abstract

AbstractHydration/dehydration behaviour and the effect of various thermal treatments on montmorillonites saturated with lanthanide ions have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (DTA, TG, DTG), IR spectroscopy and sorption-desorption of water vapour techniques. Heating at 150°C under 10−5 torr did not eliminate all the interlayer water of the montmorillonite, neither did it affect the CEC. Heating above 160°C caused a reduction in CEC. At 25°C La-montmorillonite takes up a maximum of three water layers in the interlayer space, the water molecules adopting a nonacoordinated distribution around the La3+ cation.