INSTRUMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MONTMORILLONITE CLAYS BY X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY, FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY, X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND UV/VISIBLE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

Authors

  • H. Wanyika Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
  • E. Maina Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
  • A. Gachanja Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
  • D. Marika Department of Chemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya

Keywords:

Characterization, XRF; FT-IR, UV/VIS Spec; XRD, MMT clay

Abstract

Montmorillonite (MMT) clay has properties that would find applications in biotechnological and biomedical fields. In this study, naturally occurring MMT clay was purified using sedimentation and centrifugation techniques. Characterization of the prepared materials was done using X-ray Florescence (XRF), Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR Spectroscopy), UV-Visible Spectrophotometry (UV/VIS Spec) and X-ray Diffraction Spectrometry (XRD). XRF showed chemical composition of clay containing Fe2O3 as a major component. The structural composition as revealed using FT-IR, confirmed presence of various functional groups of Si-O, Al-OH and Si-O-Al as the major constituents. UV/VIS Spec confirmed presence of chromophores which absorbed light in the range of 270-300 nm confirming FT-IR results. XRD diffraction patterns confirmed presence of MMT clay as a major component with illite clay mineral existing as impurity. The sample contained good quality MMT clay and this study further confirmed the usefulness of spectroscopic techniques in determination of crystalline nature of montmorillonite clay.

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Published

05-07-2016

How to Cite

INSTRUMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MONTMORILLONITE CLAYS BY X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY, FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY, X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND UV/VISIBLE SPECTROPHOTOMETRY. (2016). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 17(1), 224-239. https://ojs.jkuat.ac.ke/index.php/JAGST/article/view/38

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