Acidity studies on pillared clays (PILCs) by pyridine adsorption and 1-butanol dehydration

A study was made on the acidic properties of clays, from different parent materials, pillared with aluminium or zirconium species. In conjunction with the well known method of pyridine desorption followed by infrared spectroscopy, the reaction test of 1-butanol dehydration was carried out. Also the heats of adsorption and the amounts of adsorbed pyridine, were determined by a thermogravimetry coupled with Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG-DSC). The information on the acidic properties of the materials, obtained by the three methods, is discussed and it is concluded that the latter method (TG/DSC), although not currently used as one could expect, is sufficiently expedite and appropriate for this purpose.