Mechanoactivation of Clinoptilolites with Sodium and Ammonium Hydrophosphates to Improve Their Electrophysical Properties

The mechanochemical activation of zeolite (clinoptilolite and clinoptilolite-stilbite) rocks with acidic salts-sodium hydrogen phosphate and ammonium hydrogen phosphate-with the weight ratio of the initial components of 1 : 1 in an IVS-4 vibratory attritor (1500 rpm, 0.6 kW, specific power 4 W/g, steel grinding set) is studied. The structure, chemical and phase composition, and thermal stability of salt-modified zeolite samples are studied by infrared spectroscopy, atomic emission spectrometry, X-ray phase analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The specific volume resistance of pelletized samples is measured using a three-electrode circuit. It is established that the electrical conductivity of high-silica zeolite rocks modified with sodium and ammonium hydrophosphates is 2.2 x 10(-6) up to 2.4 x 10(-5) S m(-1) at 25 & DEG;C. It is shown that the mechanochemical activation of clinoptilolite and clinoptilolite-stilbite rocks with sodium hydrogen phosphate in a vibratory attritor at a mechanical energy dose of 2.4 kJ/g increases the conductivity of mechanically activated zeolites by factors of 140 and 470 at 25 & DEG;C, and by factors of 30 and 490 at 100 & DEG;C, respectively. This allows us to consider mechanochemical activation as a promising method for improving the electrical properties of mineral materials.