Intercalation of Methylene Blue into Mordenites: Role of Zeolite Acidity

The intercalation of methylene blue into mordenite zeolite was studied by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Methylene blue was incorporated into mordenite by ion exchange in the aqueous phase. Samples of sodium, calcium and protonated mordenite were subjected to methylene blue loading. The DR spectra observed shortly after mixing the dye with sodium mordenite are those of aggregated species adsorbed on the surface. The period of intercalation is very short (1 h) for protonated mordenite and is too long for calcium mordenite (7 days). The hydrated mordenite samples containing intercalated methylene blue show two 660 and 610 nm bands which are assigned to monomeric and dimeric species of methylene blue, respectively. Upon dehydration a new band at 745 nm is observed which corresponds to the protonated dye molecule. The intensity of this band increases with severity of dehydration. Those dehydrated samples containing merely aggregated dye molecules adsorbed on the surface do not show the 745 nm band. The protonation of methylene blue is reversible by the dehydration-hydration process.