Photoluminescence of montmorillonite clay minerals modified by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

• Published in: Journal of applied spectroscopy Vol. 77; no. 6; pp. 784 - 789
• Main Authors: Bezrodna, T. V., Klishevich, G. V., Melnyk, V. I., Nesprava, V. V., Puchkovska, G. A., Chashechnikova, I. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2011; Springer
• Subjects: Aluminum silicates; Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Clay; Diffraction; Fluorescence; Mines and mineral resources; Montmorillonite; Photoluminescence; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Surface active agents; X-rays; x-ray diffraction analysis; montmorillonite; photoluminescence; x-ray fluorescence analysis; clay minerals; cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; surfactant
• ISSN: 0021-9037; 1573-8647
• DOI: 10.1007/s10812-011-9403-3

The structure and photoluminescent properties of natural montmorillonite (MMT) aluminosilicates from three mineral deposits that were modified by cations of sodium or the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) have been investigated. X-ray fluorescence analysis showed significant differences in the concentrations of the inorganic dopants in these materials. An x-ray diffraction analysis established that incorporation of the CTA
+
long-chain cations into the MMTs expands remarkably the mineral interplanar distances, the values of which are close to each other for all organoclay samples under study and equal to 1.8–2.0 nm. The photoluminescent properties of the Na-form of the MMTs are shown to depend on the amount of introduced dopant capable of either enhancing or quenching the emission. Deposition of CTAB on the mineral surface influences the luminescence pattern, the spectral contour and wavelength range being practically the same for all modified samples. The emission may intensify or weaken because of such surface modification.