Easy and low-cost preparation method of magnetic montmorillonite/Fe_xO_y composite: initial study for future applications

Magnetic montmorillonite with Fe_xO_y nanoparticles was prepared by precipitation. The results of the leaching test showed that the magnetic montmorillonite is stable in the acidic pH. The microwave treatment and the presence of Fe_xO_y nanoparticles on the montmorillonite did not influence the montmorillonite structure or distinctive release of the monitored cations. The main goal of the present paper was to find the optimal solid-to-liquid ratio when the ionic strength remains unchanged. The influence of solid-to-liquid ratio, leaching time, initial pH of extraction agent and the variation of the ionic strength of the final extract were studied as well. The results evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that both the solid-to-liquid ratio and the initial pH are factors which significantly influence the release of the cations from the study materials as well as the ionic strength of final extracts. Graphic abstract: