Separation of surfactant modified smectite from bentonite by delamination

Smectite modified with cetyl trimethylammonium ions was separated from a mixture of organobentonite and unreacted pristine clay mineral through delamination in nitrobenzene. On delamination and restacking the layer structure remained intact though the basal spacing of the organomontmorillonite decreased slightly due to changes in the organization of the alkyl chains of the surfactant within the interlayer space of the clay mineral.