Preparation and Performance of Organically Modified Montmorillonite Composite Separation Membrane

A new composite separation membrane was developed by using organically modified montmorillonite(OMMT)as an additive.The effects of OMMT on the modification and properties of PVDF composite membranes were investigated.It is found that different kinds and amounts of OMMT into the casting solution can obviously change the pure water flux,separation performance and hydrophilicity of composite membrane in varying degrees.When the TA/PDA-MMT was 0.5 wt%,the pure water flux of the membrane reached the maximum,which was 584.7 L/(m^(2)·h),about 6 times that of the original membrane.The OMMT/PVDF composite membrane had good hydrophilicity and stability in the treatment of oily wastewater.The development of novel OMMT/PVDF composite membrane will provide a new idea for solving the problem of oily wastewater treatment.

Layer-by-layer fabrication of montmorillonite coating immobilizing Cu_(2)O nanoparticles for continuously catalyzing glycerol to dihydroxyacetone

Microreactors are increasingly used for green and safe chemical processes owing to their benefits of superior mass and heat transfer,increased yield,safety,and simplicity of control.However,immobilizing catalysts in microreactors remains challenging.In this investigation,a technique for creating Cu_(2)O/montmorillonite catalyst coating,using electrostatic attraction for layer-by-layer self-assembly,was proposed.The montmorillonite film's morphology and thickness could be efficiently regulated by adjusting the degree of exfoliation and surface charge of montmorillonite,alongside layer-by-layer coating times.The Cu_(2)O nanoparticles were immobilized using the flow deposition approach.The resulting Cu_(2)O@montmorillonite-film-coated capillary microreactor successfully transformed glycerol into dihydroxyacetone.The conversion of glycerol and product selectivity could be controlled by adjusting the molar ratio of reactants,temperature,residence time,and Cu_(2)O loading.The maximum glycerol conversion observed was 47.6%,with a 27%selectivity toward dihydroxyacetone.The study presents a technique for immobilizing montmorillonite-based catalyst coatings in capillary tubing,which can serve as a foundation for the future application of microreactors in glycerol conversion.

Vertically aligned montmorillonite aerogel-encapsulated polyethylene glycol with directional heat transfer paths for efficient solar thermal energy harvesting and storage

The conversion and storage of photothermal energy using phase change materials(PCMs)represent an optimal approach for harnessing clean and sustainable solar energy.Herein,we encapsulated polyethylene glycol(PEG)in montmorillonite aerogels(3D-Mt)through vacuum impregnation to prepare 3D-Mt/PEG composite PCMs.When used as a support matrix,3D-Mt can effectively prevent PEG leakage and act as a flame-retardant barrier to reduce the flammability of PEG.Simultaneously,3D-Mt/PEG demonstrates outstanding shape retention,increased thermal energy storage density,and commendable thermal and chemical stability.The phase transition enthalpy of 3D-Mt/PEG can reach 167.53 J/g and remains stable even after 50 heating-cooling cycles.Furthermore,the vertical sheet-like structure of 3D-Mt establishes directional heat transport channels,facilitating efficient phonon transfer.This configuration results in highly anisotropic thermal conductivities that ensure swift thermal responses and efficient heat conduction.This study addresses the shortcomings of PCMs,including the issues of leakage and inadequate flame retardancy.It achieves the development and design of 3D-Mt/PEG with ultrahigh strength,superior flame retardancy,and directional heat transfer.Therefore,this work offers a design strategy for the preparation of high-performance composite PCMs.The 3D-Mt/PEG with vertically aligned and well-ordered array structure developed in this research shows great potential for thermal management and photothermal conversion applications.

Efficacy of Organo-Modified Nano Montmorillonite to Protect against the Cumulative Health Risk of Aflatoxin B₁and Ochratoxin A in Rats

The aim of the current study was to prepare organo-modified nano montmorillonite (OMNM) and to evaluate its chemopreventive effects against the hapatonephrotoxicity induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OA) singly or in combination in rats. OMNM was prepared using Cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) as organic modifier. Eighty male Sprague Dawley were divided into 8 groups and treated for 8 weeks as follow: the control group;the group treated orally with AFB1 (80 μg/kg b.w.);the group treated with OA (100 μg/kg b.w.);the group treated with AFB1 plus OA, the group treated with OMNM (5 g/kg diet) and the groups treated with AFB1 and/or OA plus OMNM. At the end of treatment period, blood and tissue samples were collected from all animals for biochemical and histological analysis. The results revealed that the expansion in the basal spacing of the montmorillonite due to the intercalation of CTAB was 7.20?&#197 and the average particle size of OMNM was 120 nm. The in vivo results indicated that treatment with both AFB1 and OA singly or in combination resulted in a significant increase in liver and kidney function parameters, oxidative stress and tumor markers accompanied with a significant decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities and significant histological changes in liver and kidney tissues. These changes were severe in the group received the combined treatment of AFB1 and OA. OMNM alone did not show any toxic effect and it succeeded to prevent or at least diminish the toxic effects and the histological changes in liver and kidney. It can be concluded that treatment with AFB1 and OA has a synergistic toxic effects and OMNM is safe and it is a promise candidate as an additive to protect against the exposure to multi-mycotoxins in high risk population.

Hydration Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Cement-Based Materials Modified by Calcined Zeolite and Montmorillonite

Montmorillonite and clinoptilolite zeolite were used as representative materials to prepare calcined clay-cement binary cementitious materials in order to study the effect of calcination treatment on the activation of clay minerals and the activity difference between layered and framed clays in this research.The influence of different calcined clay content(2%,4%,6%,8%,10%)on the fluidity,compressive strength,microstructure,phase change,and hydration heat of cement-based materials were analyzed.The calcined clay improves the fluidity of cement-based materials as compared with the uncalcined group.The addition of calcined montmorillonite(CMT)improves the development of mechanical strength,and the optimal compressive strength reaches 85 MPa at 28 days with 8%CMT.However,the activity of calcined clinoptilolite zeolite(CZL)is weak with few reaction sites,which slightly reduced the mechanical strength as compared to the blank sample.The addition of CMT changes the microscopic morphology of hydration products such as C-S-H and C-A-H,leading to the formation and transformation of ettringite in the early stage.It promotes the gradual polymerization of Si-O bonds into Si-O-Si bonds simultaneously,which accelerates the early hydration process.However,CZL acts mainly as a filling function in the cementitious system.In brief,CMT as an admixture can improve the mechanical properties of cement,but CZL has little effect.This work provides a guideline for the applications of calcined clay in cement,considering the influence of clay type on workability and mechanical strength.

Improving physical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanocomposite hydrogels via the Hofmeister effect

Hydrogel is a kind of three-dimensional crosslinked polymer material with high moisture content.However,due to the network defects of polymer gels,traditional hydrogels are usually brittle and fragile,which limits their practical applications.Herein,we present a Hofmeister effect-aided facile strategy to prepare high-performance poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanocomposite hydrogels.Layered montmorillonite nanosheets can not only serve as crosslinking agents to enhance the mechanical properties of the hydrogel but also promote the ion conduction.More importantly,based on the Hofmeister effect,the presence of(NH_(4))_(2)SO_(4)can endow nanocomposite hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties by affecting PVA chains'aggregation state and crystallinity.As a result,the as-prepared nanocomposite hydrogels possess unique physical properties,including robust mechanical and electrical properties.The as-prepared hydrogels can be further assembled into a high-performance flexible sensor,which can sensitively detect large-scale and small-scale human activities.The simple design concept of this work is believed to provide a new prospect for developing robust nanocomposite hydrogels and flexible devices in the future.

PROPERTIES AND MORPHOLOGY OF UNSATURATED POLYESTER/ACRYLATE-TERMINATED POLYURETHANE/ORGANO-MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES

Unsaturated polyester resin （UPR）/acrylate-terminated polyurethane （ATPU）/organo-modified montmorillonite （OMMT） nanocomposites were prepared by the in situ intercalative polymerization method. Samples were prepared by the sequential mixing, i.e. mixture of the ATPU and styrene （S） and OMMT were prepared in the first step; UPR was then added to the pre-intercalates of ATPU/S/OMMT. Results indicate that the mechanical properties and thermal properties of UPR/ATPU/OMMT nanocomposites greatly depend on the amount of ATPU and OMMT. Results show that the addition of ATPU could increase the impact strength of UPR/ATPU composites, but the tensile strength, flexural strength and heat resistance of the materials are obviously decreased. When the weight ratio between UPR, ATPU and OMMT were 82：15：3, the impact strength and heat distortion-temperature of nanocomposite were greatly improved, meanwhile there was little change for other properties of the nanocomposites. The synergistic enhancement effects of ATPU and OMMT on the composites were observed. The structures and morphology of the composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Study on the Mechanism of Innovative Montmorillonite for Diarrhea Treatment

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of innovative montmorillonite for diarrhea treatment. [Method] Thirty healthy weanling piglets （Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire） were randomly divided into five groups and fed with basal diet, basal diet ＋ 1 g/kg innovative montmorillonite, basal diet ＋ 3 g/kg innovative montmorillonite, basal diet ＋ 5 g/kg innovative montmorillonite and basal diet ＋ 3 g/kg Bacillus subtilis microecologic agent, respectively. After four weeks, blood samples were collected via precaval vein, to detect the content of TFF3, NO and SOD in serum by ELISA kits. [Result] Compared with blank control group, the content of TFF3, NO and SOD in high-dose innovative montmorillonite group was extremely significantly increased, extremely significantly reduced and significantly in- creased, respectively; the content of TFF3 and NO in middle-dose innovative mont- morillonite group was significantly increased and significantly reduced, respectively. [Conclusion] Innovative montmorillonite may exert beneficial therapeutic actions on diarrhea by increasing TFF3 and SOD levels and decreasing NO level.

Cadmium adsorption in montmorillonite as affected by glyphosate

Behaviors of soil heavy metals are often affected by coexisting herbicides due to their physical and chemical interaction. Effect of glyphosate, an herbicide containing -PO 2- 3 and -COOH groups, on cadmium adsorption in montmorillonite was studied in detail. The results showed that the cadmium adsorption quantity in montmorillonite increased with increasing soil solution pH and cadmium concentration as usual, but decreased with glyphosate, which is due to the formation of a low affinity complex of Cd and glyphosate and decreasing solution pH induced by glyphosate addition. When the equilibrium solution pH was below 6.7, glyphosate has little effect on cadmium adsorption, but when the equilibrium solution pH was above 6.7, glyphosate significantly decreased cadmium adsorption quantity in montmorillonite. In addition, the adding order of Cd and glyphosate also influenced Cd adsorption quantity in montmorillonite.

Extractive oxidative desulfurization of model oil/crude oil using KSF montmorillonite-supported 12-tungstophosphoric acid

12-Tungstophosphoric acid（PW） supported on KSF montmorillonite, PW/KSF, was used as catalyst for deep oxidative desulfurization（ODS） of mixed thiophenic compounds in model oil and crude oil under mild conditions using hydrogen peroxide（H2O2） as an oxidizing agent. A one-factor-at-a-time method was applied for optimizing the parameters such as temperature, reaction time, amount of catalyst, type of extractant and oxidant-tosulfur compounds（S-compounds） molar ratio. The corresponding products can be easily removed from the model oil by using ethanol as the best extractant. The results showed high catalytic activity of PW/KSF in the oxidative removal of dibenzothiophene（DBT） and mixed thiophenic model oil under atmospheric pressure at 75 ℃ in a biphasic system. To investigate the oxidation and adsorption effects of crude oil composition on ODS, the effects of cyclohexene, 1,7-octadiene and o-xylene with different concentrations were studied.

Preparation and Properties of Gelatin-Chitosan/Montmorillonite Drug-loaded Microspheres

A kind of slow release drug-loaded microspheres were prepared with gelatin, chitosan and montmorillonite（MMT） by an emulsification/chemical cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent and acyclovir as model drug. The microspheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared （FT-IR） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, respectively. The morphology, drug content, encapsulation efficiency and drug-release behavior were investigated with different MMT contents. The experimental results indicated that intercalated microspheres could be prepared, the morphology of microspheres was markedly affected by MMT. The glomeration performance of uncross-linked microspheres was improved because of the physical cross-linking of MMT. Drug content and encapsulation efficiency were decreased when increased the content of MMT, but burst release and the drug release were significantly decreased with the addition of MMT. Effective physical cross-linking could be formed when added MMT, and MMT could reduce the content of toxic chemical cross-linking agents.

Synthesis of ethyl acetate by esterification of acetic acid with ethanol over a heteropolyacid on montmorillonite K10

In present work,liquid phase esterification of acetic acid with ethanol over dodecatungestophosphoric acid （DTPA） supported on K10 montmorillonite was systematically studied and optimization of process parameters was carried out.The 20% m/m DTPA/K10 was found to be the optimum catalyst with 90% acetic acid conversion and 100% ethyl acetate selectivity.The study was also explored to see the feasibility of 20% m/m DTPA/K10 as a catalyst for the alkylation of acetic acid with other alcohols like methanol,iso-propanol and n-butanol.The 20% m/m DTPA/K10 has shown increased activity with the increase in carbon number,at the same alcohol reflux.The results are novel.

DISPERSION AND TENSILE BEHAVIOR OF POLYPROPYLENE/MONTMORILLONITE NANOCOMPOSITES PRODUCED VIA MELT INTERCALATION

Most of the articles on polymer nanocomposites focus on the importance of chemistry used to modify the surface of the clay, usually montmorillonite (MMT), and characterization of the nano-scale structure obtained. The role and importance of processing were also discussed recently. However, few papers concerning the correlation between morphology of MMT and mechanical properties were published. In order to understand. the tensile behavior of PP/Montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites better, and to further improve the reinforcement efficiency, we first prepared the PP nanocomposites via direct melt intercalation using conventional twin-screw extrusion. The dispersion and tensile property of the composites were then investigated by SEM, XRD, TEM and a video-controlled tensile set-up. The macroscopic and microscopic dispersion of MMT in PP matrix was verified by XRD and TEM, combined with SEM. The tensile properties were obtained by video-controlled tensile set-up, which gives true stress-strain curve. It was found that a partly intercalated and partly exfoliated structure (also called incomplete exfoliation) existed in the system. Though the tensile strength of PP nanocomposites is not much improved in engineering stress-strain curves, more than 20% increase of true stress was found in a true stress-strain experiment at high true strain, which indicates that only oriented silicate layers can have a big effect on tensile properties: Not only orientation of silicate platelets but also the degree of exfoliation is a key factor to determine the reinforcement efficiency. The reinforcement efficiency of MMT has been discussed based on the 'continuum' Halpin-Tsai equations. A good agreement was found between experimental data and theoretical prediction by changing N value (number of platelets per stack) which corresponding to different state of the dispersion of MMT in PP matrix.

Preparation and Properties of Phenolic Resin/Montmorillonite Intercalation Nanocomposites

Phenolic resin/montmorillonite intercalation composites were prepared by using the methods of pressing intercalation and melt intercalation.Properties and structure of the composites were investigated by using XRD,TG and test of softening point.It is indicated that both the pressing intercalation and melt intercalation can be used to prepare the phenolic resin/organo-montmorillonite intercalation nanocomposites.Compared with phenolic resin,the intercalation nanocomposites have better heat-resistance,higher decomposition temperatures and less thermal weight-loss.However,these two intercalation methods have different effects on the softening point of the intercalation nanocomposites.Pressing intercalation almost does not affect the softening point of the intercalation nanocomposites,while melt intercalation significantly increases the softening point of the intercalation nanocomposites, probably due to the chemical actions happening in the process of melt intercalation.

Photocatalytic remediation ofγ-hexachlorocyclohexane contaminated soils using TiO_2 and montmorillonite composite photocatalyst

TiO2 and montmorillonite composite photocatalysts were prepared and applied in degrading γ-hexachlorocyclohexane （γ-HCH） in soils. After being spiked with γ-HCH, soil samples loaded with the composite photocatalysts were exposed to UV-light irradiation. The results indicated that the photocatalytic activities of the composite photocatalysts varied with the content of TiO2 in the order of 10%〈70%〈50% 〈30%, Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of the composite photocatalysts with TiO2 content 30% was higher than that of the pure P25 with the same mass of TiO2. The strong adsorption capacity of the composite photocatalysts and quantum size effect may contribute to its increased photocatalytic activities. In addition, effect of dosage of composite photocatalysts and soil pH on γ-HCH photodegradation was investigated. Pentachlorocyclohexene, trichlorocyclohexene, and dichlorobenzene were detected as photodegradation intermediates, which were gradually degraded with the photodegradation evolution.

Atomic and electronic structures of montmorillonite in soft rock

Montmorillonite is a kind of clay mineral which often causes large deformation in soft-rock tunnel engineering and thus brings about safety problems in practice.To deal with these engineering safety problems,the physical and chemical properties of montmorillonite should be studied from basic viewpoints.We study the atomic and electronic structures of montmorillonite by using density-functional theory within the local-density approximation （LDA）.The results of calculation show that Al-O bond lengths are longer than Si-O bond lengths.It is found that both the valence band maximum （VBM） and the conduction band minimum （CBM） of montmorillonite are at point Г,and the calculated direct band gap of montmorillonite is 5.35 eV. We show that the chemical bonding between cations and oxygen anions in montmorillonite is mainly ionic,accompanied as well by a minor covalent component.It is pointed out that the VBM and CBM of montmorillonite consist of oxygen 2p and cation s states,respectively.Our calculated results help to understand the chemical and physical properties of montmorillonite,and are expected to be a guide for solving the problem of large deformation of soft-rock tunnels.

Preparation and Characterization of Polylactide/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

The montmorillonite, a form of layered silicate, was successfully intercalated into polylactide （PLA） matrix through solvent-casting technique. In addition, PLA/MMT nanocomposite films were produced, in which homogenous distribution of the silicate lamellae plays a key role in the mechanical properties of the films. A small amount（5wt%） of OMMT intercalated into the PLA matrix resulted in their flexibility enhancement, from 3.68%（pure PLA film） to 352.65%. The results of wide-angle X-ray diffraction （WAXD） patterns confirmed that the silicate interlayer distance increased from 3.044 nm （for OMMT） to 3.56nm （for 5wt%, maximum） with increasing OMMT contents, but decreased to 3.319 nm when OMMT content was over 8wt%. FT-IR also verified the molecular-level associations between PLA chains and OMMT lamellae by vibration variances of hydrogen bonding. DSC thermograms demonstrated that thermal stabilities of the nanocomposite films enhanced, due to the silicate lamellae dispersed into PLA matrix.

Preparation and characterization of mixed hydroxy-Fe-Al pillared montmorillonite with large basal spacing

Mixed hydroxy-Al-Fe pillared montmorillonites with large basal spacing were successfully prepared through cation-exchanging of Na +- montmorillonite with mixed hydroxy-Al and hydroxy-Fe pillaring solutions made from hydrolysis of corresponding metal salts, followed by calcination to convert hydroxy-Al and hydroxy-Fe into intercalated polycations. According to XRD analysis, the basal spacing d(001) of pillared products dramatically enlarged from 12.7 *! in the Na-montmorillonite to 81 *! in the hydroxy-Fe -montmorillonite and 77.5 *! in mixed hydroxy-Al-Fe-montmorillonite. The N_2 BET surface areas of the pillared montmorillonites also greatly increased to more than 200 m 2/g as compared to about 27 m 2/g for the Na-montmorillonite. IR analysis of hydroxy-Fe, and mixed hydroxy-Al-Fe pillared montmorillonites revealed a new absorption vibration at 1384 cm -1 wavelength. XRF elemental analysis data also showed a high content of Fe_2O_3 in the hydroxy-Fe pillared montmorillonite.

Design of Wood/Montmorillonite (MMT) Intercalation Nanocomposite

Studying new wood composites through nano science and technology (NSC) will develop new compounding theory of wood, and accelerate the combination of new technology, wood science, material science and other disciplines. The compounding of wood and inorganic MMT on nanoscale molecular level has high potential to greatly improve the mechanical properties, fire retardance, abrasion resistance, decay resistance, dimensional stability and other properties of wood. Based on the great achievements of polymer/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites, this paper reviewed nano intercalation compounding methods (i.e. in-situ intercalative polymerization and direct polymer intercalation), and discussed the structure, properties and modification of montmorillonite (MMT). According to the main chemical components and particular structure of wood, the authors discussed the liquefaction and plasticization of wood, compared the dissolvability and meltability between wood and polymer, and then systematically put forward the basic idea, technological processes and schematic diagram to prepare wood/MMT nanocomposites (WMNC). The key technology to prepare WMNC is either to introduce delaminated MMT nanolayers into wood with the help of some intermediate polymers, or to obtain liquefied wood or plasticized wood from the complicated natural composite. It is applicable and effective to realize wood/MMT nanoscale compounding with the help of proper intercalation agent and medium polymer through the proposed 搊ne-step?or 搕wo-step?impregnating processes.

Swelling of K＋, Na＋ and Ca2＋-montmorillonites and hydration of interlayer cations： a molecular dynamics simulation

This paper performs molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the role of the monovalent cations K, Na and the divalent cation Ca on the stability and swelling of montmorillonite. The recently developed CLAYFF force field is used to predict the basal spacing as a function of the water content in the interlayer. The simulations reproduced the swelling pattern of these montmorillonites, suggesting a mechanism of their hydration different （K＋ 〈 Na＋ 〈 Ca2＋） from that of K＋-, Na＋-, and Ca2＋-montmorillonites. In particular, these results indicate that the valence of the cations has the larger impact on the behaviour of clay water systems. It also finds that the differences in size and hydration energy of K＋, Na＋ and Ca2＋ ions have strong implications for the structure of interlayer. This leads to the differences in the layer spacings of the simulated K＋-, Na＋-, and Ca2＋-montmorillonites. Furthermore, these simulations show that the K cations interact strongly with the clay sheets for the dehydrated clay sheets, but for the hydrated clays the Ca cations interact clearly strongly with the clay sheets.