Vuthichai ErvithayasupornSupphachok ChanmungkalakulNut ChurinthornThapakorn JaroentomeechaiSasikarn HanprasitRapheepraew SodkhomkhumPusthira KaewpijitSuda KiatkamjornwongChulalongkorn UniversityMahidol UniversityFRS(T)2020-01-272020-01-272019-04-01Applied Clay Science. Vol.171, (2019), 6-13016913172-s2.0-85061009260https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/50761© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Highly water-soluble material of multi-imidazolium based silsesquioxane cages (material 2) is a promising candidate for modifying clay mineral interlayer space, which is successfully demonstrated by using montmorillonite. The modified montmorillonite can be easily prepared via cation exchange reaction between material 2 and sodium ions of montmorillonite, dispersed in an aqueous solution at room temperature. The modified montmorillonite formed a precipitate within a few seconds. A single layer of material 2 found to be intercalated in the modified montmorillonite with a maximum interlayer space (d-value) of 18 Å (1.8 nm) from 13 Å (1.3 nm) of the unmodified one was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-rays diffraction (XRD). Moreover, the percentage uptake and nature of incorporation of material 2 into montmorillonite layers were investigated by thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), 29 Si NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies.Mahidol UniversityEarth and Planetary SciencesArticleSCOPUS10.1016/j.clay.2019.01.022