THERMODYNAMICS OF CATIONIC SURFACTANT SORPTION ONTO NATURAL CLINOPTILOLITE

Sorption enthalpies of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA) as m onomers and micelles and tetraethylammonium bromide (TEA) were used wi th surfactant, counterion, and co-ion sorption isotherms to infer the conformation, sorption mechanism, and relative stability of the sorbed surfactants on natural clinoptilolite. The average value of the sorpt ion enthalpy was -10.38 kJ/mol for monomers, -11.98 kJ/mol for micelle s, and +3.03 kJ/mol for TEA. Sorption of monomers produced a lower sor ption plateau than equivalent micelle sorption (maxima 145 mmol/kg, 22 5 mmol/kg). Analysis of the sorption data demonstrated a change in the sorption mechanism at the external cation exchange capacity (ECEC) of clinoptilolite. Sorption data from below and above the ECEC were fit to a simple polynomial model and the Gibbs free energy of sorption (De lta G(m)(0)) and sorption entropies were calculated. Resultant values of Delta G(m)(0) were -9.27 and -14.38 kJ/mol for HDTMA monomers and m icelles, respectively, for sorption below the ECEC, and -16.11 and -23 .10 kJ/mol, respectively, for sorption above the ECEC. The value for T EA was -1.04 kJ/mol, indicating weaker sorption than for HDTMA. Monome r sorption to clinoptilolite exceeded the ECEC, even when the solution concentration was below the critical micelle concentration. Hydrophob ic (tail-tail) components of Delta G(m)(0) were the driving force for sorption of HDTMA, both below and above the ECEC. A significant kineti c effect was observed in the sorption isotherms with a period of rapid sorption followed by slow equilibration requiring 7 days to achieve s teady state for HDTMA; TEA equilibration occurred within 24 h. (C) 199 8 Academic Press.