THE ION-EXCHANGE PROPERTIES OF NATURAL ZEOLITE MORDENITE

Abstract

The cation exchange properties of mordenite (a Nakhchivan natural zeolite) were studied. Ion exchange of the original cations - sodium, potassium and calcium - by magnesium, strontium, cadmium, zinc and nickel cations was carried out. It was found that in the case of Zn cations cation exchange occurs readily at a high speed and the maximum value of the degree of exchange. A low value of the degree of cation exchange is observed for Mg. This is due to the large hydration shell of magnesium, which adversely affects the cation exchange. High values of the exchange rate of Na+ cations have already been explained at the first exchange of low content of sodium cations and their location mostly in exchange for positions available. The lesser ability to exchange K+, Na+ cations than contained in the natural zeolite is due to several reasons. With an increasing number of degrees of ionic exchange value exchangeable cations K+ vary to a greater degree than the degree of exchange of the cations Na+. Firstly, the content and size of the K+ cation are greater than those of the Na+ cations. Furthermore, a part of the K+ cations is in exchange for hard cancrinites cells. It has been found that the degree of cation exchange of K+ (αK), contained in the original zeolite, with Mg2+, Ni2+, Sr2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ cations is considerably lower than the values of the degree of cation exchange of Na+ (αNa) at the same cations.

Keywords

• natural zeolite
• ion-exchange properties
• cation
• mordenite
• degree of exchange
• ir-spectrum
• stretching vibration