Characterization of a Moroccan Stevensite for Future Valorization in the Cosmetic Field

Abstract

The severity of climate change in the world requires the search for more environmentally friendly and recyclable natural resources to improve their performance and expand their areas of use. Some of these natural resources, despite their excellent characteristics, are no longer able to meet the market's need for materials that meet specific standards and keep up with rapid technological developments. For example, clay and clay minerals, despite their remarkable properties, still require the study of the possibility of improving some of these characteristics required in different areas. The objective of our work is the study of a stevensite to measure its capacity in the elaboration of high-quality composites, for possible uses in the field of the cosmetic by the insertion of additives within the inter-foliar space of this argillaceous material, we are interested in the determination of its various physicochemical and mineralogical properties. The results show that the measurement of the physico-chemical properties gives very important values for the cationic exchange capacity CEC=ͳͶͲ meqȀͳͲͲg, the specific surface (ͺͳͲ mʹȀg), the porosity (ͲǤ͹͸), the humidity (ͳͻǤͳΨ) and the swelling index (ͺͲǤͻΨ). These values indicate the strong interaction of stevensite with chemical species and therefore the possibility of inserting stevensite in the production of stevensite-natural fiber hybrids for the cosmetic field. The scanning electron microscopy results show a more homogeneous distribution of the clay particles due to the release of the stevensite particles and the elimination of large particles of quartz and dolomite after purification. At the same time, the examination of X-Ray diffraction diffractograms confirms the presence of stevensite, quartz, and dolomite. A comparison of the two diffractograms of stevensite and Na-stevensite shows a significant increase in the intensity of the stevensite peaks. This change attests to the increase in the content of stevensite in the mixture and thus the concentration of the stevensite phase due to the elimination or decrease in the content of the other phases. On the other hand, the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy spectra reveal the detection of vibration bands related to quartz and aluminosilicates. Moreover, the change detected in the spectra of the two clays lies in the decrease in the intensity of the peaks assigned to quartz and the decrease of the peaks assigned to the adsorbed water. Thus, Na-stevensite remains suitable for the production of stevensite-natural fiber hybrids for the cosmetic industry.