Templated Synthesis of Tailored Clays (Based on Sol-Gel Techniques) to Yield Increased Pore Volumes for Sorption and Exchange

Abstract

Synthesis and modification of Laponite-related materials by surfactants and globular cations, leading to increased pore volume and enhanced specific surface area, is reported. Materials produced using cationic and neutral surfactants, as well as those with varying tail length and head size are compared. The characteristics of these tailored materials have been determined via nitrogen sorption porosimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. The appropriate choice of surfactant leads to markedly enhanced total pore volumes and modified textures. Most significantly, an increase in total pore volume from 0.27 cm³ g⁻¹ (Laponite RD without templating) to 0.94 cm³ g⁻¹ (using a non-ionic surfactant as template/modifier) is reported.