Ativação ácida e preparação de argilas organofílicas partindo-se de argila esmectítica proveniente do Estado da Paraíba.

Abstract

Worldwide, smectitic clays, industrially also known as bentonites, find several different industrial uses, being the largest group in terms of use and the most interesting group of clays minerals. However, it is necessary to submit them to chemical treatments to develop their real potentialities. The activation of bentonites with the use of strong inorganic acids consists of processes to increase its adsorbent capacity, with the purpose of clarifying vegetable, animal, and mineral oils. Polluted areas by organic pollutants are of great concern. To remedy those areas, several types of sorvent materials have been studied. Among them, organoclays obtained from smectitic clays and quaternary ammonium salts, containing at least a 12-carbon chain between their layers, represent a featured promissing material. The tested smectite clay occurs in the city of Boa Vista, Paraiba State, Northeastern Brazil. This work was carried out in two steps: in the first part, a chemical treatment was performed with hydrochloric and sulfuric acids (6M), targeting the use of the clay in oil decolorization. The purpose of the second part was to test them as hidrocarbon sorvents. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron miscroscopy. The results indicate that the acid activation, under the tested conditions, demonstrated efficient in the decolorization of soy bean oil, and showed capability for the adsorption of petroleum derived hidrocarbons.