Effects of drying methods and calcination temperatures on the physical properties of iron intercalated clays

In this study, intercalation of the bentonite clay mineral mined from Middle Anatolian was studied using iron pillar agents. Effects of the pillar solution preparation methods on the quality of the pillared intercalated layered clays (PILCs) and the variations in the pillared structure with drying types and calcination temperatures were investigated. Thermal behaviors of the starting mineral and the final product were investigated by thermogravimetric technique. Fe-PILC showed a more and lasting weight losses. Surface areas of the samples were measured using nitrogen sorption technique under continuous nitrogen–helium flow. Fe-PILC product having basal spacing as 13.79 Å was obtained at 100 °C. The reasonably high surface area, which was measured as 95 m2 g−1 at 450 °C, confirmed that the preserving of thermal stability.