ABSTRACT
The study evaluated the effect of different temperature on acid-activated clay from Dangara. The acid-activation at different temperature is a chemical treatment traditionally used on clays, to obtain materials with enhanced surface properties suitable for new applications or displaying interesting new behavior. Natural clay sample from Dangara region in Abuja was collected for this investigation, and then subjected to acid activation treatments at two different temperatures (200oC and 400oC ).The experimental methodology involves the impregnation of clay sample with analytical grade hydrochloric acid (10%, 30%, 50%) stock solution and was agitated for 24hrs using a mechanical shaker, filtered, and thoroughly washed with distilled deionized water until the removal of chloride ion. Thereafter it was oven dried at 105ºc -110ºC, calcined at 200ºC and 400ºC in a furnace respectively. These samples were analyzed using; X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray, to the determine the mineralogy, Morphological composition surfaces area, pore volume, and adsorption frequencies of the clay. The results of BET analysis revealed that low temperature(200ºC) showed the surface area of 279.3, pore volume of 0.147.9 and pore diameter of 2.453 while high temperature (400oC) exert a significant impact on the surface area (434.8), pore volume (0.2704), but showed a decreases on the pore diameter (2.144) which improved its adsorption capacity. The X-ray diffraction results shows that at low temperature (200 oC), Chrysotile Mg3Si2O5 (OH) 4, Orthoclase KAlSi308, and Humite MgCl(SiO4)3 minerals were observed but absent at high temperature (400oC). At high temperature treatment, sepiolite ferrain, sanidine high, and leifite minerals were present which showed an alteration in the minerals .Quartz low α and lepidocrocite were present at both temperature. The Fourier transform infrared showed similar peak range on both spectral (200ºC and 400ºC) which indicated that despite the heat, the treatment did not alter the silicate band present. In conclusion, this research elucidates the significant influence of temperature on the acid-activation of clay sourced from Dangara. By carefully selecting the activation temperature, the clay’s properties can be modified in terms of physical properties.
