Influence of mechanical activation on the properties of natural zeolites from Tokaj Mountain

This paper presents the results of a study of the influence of mechanical activation on morphology, specific surface area and phase composition of natural zeolite of Tokaj Mountain. During the mechanical activation of zeolites powders with specific surface area of 19-20 square meters per grams, significant changes in chemical and mineralogical compositions can be observed. The laboratory experiments had shown an intensive increase of specific surface area at the beginning of mechanical activation; a further relatively slow decrease and reduction of BET surfaces were observed. By increasing the mechanical activation time the amount of quartz, cristobalite-low, orthoclase mineral components were not stable, and their content have varied not so strongly as a decrease smectite 15 A, clinoptilolite, illite 2M1 or calcite. In addition, during the mechanical activation occurred amorphization, which was increased from 13% to 52%.