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

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.