Proton conductivity in Al-stevensite pillared clays
B. Rhouta, M. Amjoud, D. Mezzane, A. Alimoussa, L. Daoudi, E. Ech-chamikh, H. Kaddami
Abstract
Fine stevensite mineral fraction (< 2 m) has been extracted from natural Moroccan ghassoulite clay. Thereafter, it has been pillared by Al13 polycations species. Physico-chemical characterization, performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG-TDA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with X-ray Energy Dispersion (XED) analysis, has proved that stevensite pillaring has been successfully achieved. Electrical impedance measurements, carried out onto samples before and after pillaring operation, have shown an increase in proton conductivity for pillared with respect to pristine stevensite clay mineral.