Attapulgite clay is a kind of alumina magnesia silicate with attapulgite as its main component. The special morphology of rod-like crystals has given attapulgite clay wide application in areas such as functional composite materials. However, due to the difference in mineralized geological environment, the growth of rod-like crystal of attapulgite clay from different parts differs, which influences the stability of functional composites. Thus, to achieve the same degree of growth of rod-like crystals has become an urgent problem to be solved in high-valued utilization of attapulgite clay.
The chemical equation of attapulgite is Mg5Si8O20(OH)2(OH2)4·4H2O. Based on the analysis of chemical components of attapulgite clay, there exist obvious shortcomings when it comes to the framework of rod-like crystals. Researchers at R&D Center for Eco-material and Eco-chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have prepared attapulgite with uniform rood-like crystal morphology by dissolving magnesium salt, aluminum salt and silicon salt into suspension of attapulgite clay.
The experimental results show that after undergoing the reaction, the length of rod-like crystal can be increased from0.3-0.5 μm to 1 μm. With this length, attapulgite clay can meet the requirements of toughened and strengthened polymer materials.
The preparation method has received a Chinese invention patent on Dec. 24, 2012. The patent number is ZL 201110240006.2.