Quantity influence of ammonium quaternary salt in organophilization of national bentonite clay

In this work, organoclays were synthesized starting from a national bentonite clay by cation exchange reactions with the incorporation of a quaternary ammonium salt Praepagen WB ® (estearildimetil ammonium chloride) in three different percentages of this salt 100%, 125% and 150%, based on their cationic exchange capacity (CEC) of clay. The clays were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetry (TG), to verify the influence of the amount of salt in the clay organophilization and basal expansion of these as well as the thermal stability of clays with different levels of quaternary ammonium salt, respectively. The XRD results revealed the successful intercalation of the salt within the silicate layers of clay, causing basal expansion and that increases in the percentage of salt promoted a greater degree of dispersion of clay, leading to delamination in some cases. From the thermogravimetry analysis, it was found that the percentage of 100% of salt has led to greater thermal stability of clays. (author)