Activation of Zeolites of the Kholinsky deposit

Introduction. The problem of wound treatment and stopping bleeding is an urgent problem in the modern world. Medical clays are coagulants of local action. The hemostatic effect of medical clays is based on their porosity and water absorption capacity, which can be increased by activation.

The purpose of the work is the activate from the Kholinsky deposit in order to obtain a local hemostatic agent based on them.

Material and methods. The object of research is the zeolites of the Kholinsky deposit (Zabaikalsky Krai). Methods: energy dispersion analysis, study of sorption characteristics, visualization and rendering of virtual three-dimensional molecular models of zeolite, complex thermal analysis, evaluation of water absorption index.

Results. It has been established that the fundamental mineral of medical clay is the mineral clinoptilolite. According to the sorption characteristics, the pores occupy half the volume of medical clay, and are available for sorption of water and low molecular weight substances. Energy dispersion spectroscopy revealed the presence of exchange cations in the amount of: Mg²⁺ – 0.60%, Ca²⁺ – 2.10%, Na⁺ – 1.90%, K⁺ – 4.10%. Thermal analysis recorded thermal effects associated with dehydration of water in the form of free water (at 120°C), adsorbed moisture on the surface of pores (at 160°C) and water coordinated with exchange cations (up to 300°C). After thermal activation, the bulk density of medical clay was 0.79 g/cm³, water absorption was 148 wt.% and porosity – 40.87%.

Conclusion. After thermal activation, there was a decrease in bulk density, an increase in the water absorption index by 1.3 times, an increase in porosity by 2.2 times, which indicates the prospects of using the thermal activation method in the development of local hemostatic agents with a high water absorption index based on medical clays.