Sylvian Cadars, R. Guégan, Mounesha N. Garaga
Nov 12, 2012
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Chemistry of Materials
Abstract
We present a detailed investigation of the molecular structure of montmorillonite, an aluminosilicate clay with important applications in materials sciences, such as for catalysis, drug delivery, or as a waste barrier. Solid-state 29Si, 27Al, 25Mg, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide a comprehensive picture of the local structure and composition of a synthetic clay and its naturally occurring analogue. A revised composition is proposed based on NMR results that allow the identification and quantification of the signatures of otherwise undetectable noncrystalline impurities, thus largely complementing the traditional elemental analyses. Solid-state 1H NMR at fast magic-angle spinning (MAS) and high magnetic field provide quantitative information on intra- and interlayer local environments that are crucial for the determination of the amount of Mg/Al substitution within the octahedral layer. In combination with DFT calculati...