摘要：The work focuses at the option to improve the sorption properties of bentonite via its modification and presents the possibility to remove heavy metal cations from the water solutions by the usage of non-homogenous bentonite coated by manganese oxides. At first, natural bentonite was converted to its sodium form using Na2CO3 as the activating agent. Afterwards, manganese oxides precipitated on the surface of natural and sodium activated bentonite, respectively. The structure of the bentonite before and after its modification was subsequently studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermal stability of the natural and modified bentonite was evaluated based on TG and DTA measurements. The morphology of the samples was observed by scanning electron microscope. The zeta potential measurements showed the electrokinetic properties of the bentonites after the precipitation of manganese oxides on their surface. Batch sorptions of Cd2+ from aqueous solutions were conducted to compare the sorption properties of the natural and modified bentonite.
