Synthesis, characterization and adsorption behaviors of modified bentonite towards methylene blue

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of tow surfactants hexadecyl(trimethyl)azanium;bromide (CTAB) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazol-3-ium;chloride (BMIMCl) intercalation in bentonite (Bt) on methylene blue dye adsorption.The modified clays were characterized in detail using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).The XRD analysis showed the increase of basal spacing ranged between ‎‎20.99 Å and 14.19Å for Bt-CTAB and Bt-BMIM respectively. The FTIR is another tool to investigate the presence of organic matter on the clay surface. More specifically, the results showed that the formation of new bands of vibrations (1400 –1500 cm-1 and 2800–2900 cm-1).Then the organoclays were used to the adsorption of methylene blue .In presence of surfactant the maximum adsorption capacities of Bt-CTAB and ‎Bt-BMIM according to the langmuir model were 47.186 mg.g-1 and 42.28 mg.g-1, respectively. According to the results algerian bentonite sample tested in this paper can effectively remove methylene blue from aqueous solutions.‎