Formation, properties, and practical applications of clay—organic complexes

Abstract

THIS paper summarises the development of and advances in the chemistry of clay—organic reactions. A brief outline is given of the structural features of clays and those peculiarities of the mineral surface that influence their behaviour towards organic compounds. This is followed by a discussion of the formation and properties of the different types of clay—organic complex, including some examples of the practical application of the clay—organic interaction. The unit-layer charge of the clay surface, the nature of the exchangeable cation, and that of the organic species, as well as the water content of the system, influence the interaction between clays and organic molecules. The part played by clays in catalysing the transformation and polymerisation of certain adsorbed organic compounds and in chemical evolution is briefly discused. © 1972 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.