ALLOPHANE OF GAMALAMA VOLCANIC SOIL SURFACE MODIFICATION USING SULFURIC ACID: STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SULFURIC ACID CONCENTRATION

Abstract

Allophane has an abundance of hydroxyl functional groups, making it suitable for catalytic conversion of different functional groups found in chemical products. It can help with the breakdown of cellulose, for example. An allophane clay variant has been discovered in Gamalama's volcanic soil. This clay has been used for a wide range of applications, including filtration and catalytic degradation of hemicellulose from diverse biomass plants. Although allophane has a wide range of applications, its structure and surface properties are by far its most important. Surfaces and structures can be altered using heat and chemicals such as sulfuric acid. The surface of allophane was altered with sulfuric acid in this experiment to assess the impact of applying varied amounts of sulfuric acid to the substance. Sulfonation entails immersing allophane obtained from Gamalama's volcanic soil in sulfuric acid solutions holding concentrations of 2, 4, and 6 M while maintaining a temperature of 60°C. The effect of sulfuric acid on the sulfonatedallophane was then investigated using FTIR, XRD, and SEM. Sulfuric acid causes the allophane surface effect, which increases the surface area of a plate by 0.2 microns. The surface area of allophane decreases as the concentration of sulfuric acid increases.