Massinga, Pedro HoracioFocke, Walter WilhelmDe Vaal, Philip L.Atanasova, Maria Todorova2011-01-172011-01-172010-07Massinga, PH , Focke, WW, De Vaal, PL & Atanasova, M 2010, 'Alkyl ammonium intercalation of Mozambican bentonite', Applied Clay Science, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 142-148. [http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/01691317]0169-131710.1016/j.clay.2010.04.017http://hdl.handle.net/2263/15736Organo-bentonites containing quaternary ammonium surfactants were prepared using purified bentonite from the Boane deposit in Mozambique. The intercalation was effected by intimate mixing of the surfactants into a concentrated dispersion of soda ash activated bentonite. TG indicated organic contents that exceeded CEC expectations by up to 21 mass %. XRD results were consistent with: (i) paraffin-type extended chain intercalation at tilt angles of 27° to 33°; and (ii) interdigitated monolayer intercalation of the C14 single alkyl chain surfactant and bilayer intercalation of the C16 double alkyl chains and its 1:1 mixture with the single chain surfactant. However, FTIR analysis revealed disordered alkyl chain conformations. White oil dispersions containing 10 mass % organo-bentonite (inorganic basis) featured high viscosities. They showed strong shear thinning behaviour confirming the ability of the montmorillonite particles to exfoliate.enElsevierIntercalationBentoniteQuaternary ammonium saltOrgano-bentonitePostprint Article