Surface and Structural Properties of Clay Materials Based on Natural Saponite

What is it about?

The paper studies the effect of modifying additives of nanosized graphene-like molybdenum and tungsten sulfides on the textural and surface characteristics of composites based on native saponite and saponite pre-modified with nanoscale magnetite. Modification of the native saponite by graphene-like molybdenum and tungsten sulfides resulted in a decrease in the specific surface area, and a slight increase in the surface of the magnetite containing saponite was observed. The acid-base characteristics of native and magnetite modified saponite (MMS) analysis indicates the ability to modify MoS2 and WS2 additives to alter the acid-base state of the surface. The addition of graphene-like molybdenum and tungsten sulfides was observed to increase the total acidity of native and MMS, with MoS2 modification being more promising since, in almost all the samples, saponite composite materials increased the number of both Brönsted and Lewis active centers, compared with WS2, which was determined by the corresponding methods. The acid-base characteristics of the saponite-containing samples, which were studied in the aqueous medium by various methods, are in good correlation with each other, and are consistent with the sorption activity of the cationic and anionic dyes.

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Why is it important?

The use of saponites, due to the fact that they are widespread clay minerals, is significant in many industries. The modification of native clay minerals improves their characteristics and may provide new functional properties.