Characterization of Clay Modified with Alkali Extracted from Plantain Peels

Modification of clays and clay minerals by using chemical reagents is receiving research attention due to the use of clay in various industrial applications where it may be utilized as adsorbent and catalyst carriers among others. The employed synthetic chemicals, however, unavoidably result in high costs and generate negative impact within the environment. The option to replace the synthetic compounds with non-synthetic materials to cut down cost and to reduce environmental impact has not been properly explored. In this study, the effect of KOH extracted from plantain peel obtained locally on clay modification was investigated. A varying concentration of the extracted KOH was used to treat the clay obtained at Asa River valley in Kwara State in Nigeria. Characterization of the modified clay samples was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Florescence (XRF) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The micro structural images of the modified clays clearly showed the effect of KOH concentrations on porosity enhancement in the selected samples. X-ray fluorescence analysis of the Kaolin showed a high silica and aluminum content while an appreciable increase in K2O was also observed in the modified clay compared to the raw Kaolin. The FTIR spectra of the modified clay showed the formation of some functional groups (O-H, C-H, C=C, C-O, Al-O-Si,) within the band range of 500 to 4000 cm-1. It can be concluded that the clay treated with alkali obtained from green source can effectively replace those produced via conventional methods which involve the use of synthetic materials.