Inorganic-organic hybrids originating from organosilane anchored onto leached vermiculite

The reactivity of clay minerals leached in grafting reactions was investigated. Precursor solids were prepared by treating the sodium vermiculites with nitric acid solutions at several concentrations. The lixiviation produced the restructured porous solids with surface area over a wide range, varying from 133 to 673 m² g- 1. The sodium and lixiviated vermiculites reacted covalently with silylating agent, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, to attach this agent onto the inorganic surface, through the free available silanols. The products were characterized by CNH elemental analysis, infrared spectr...