This work is part of a more general study of interactions between
montmorillonite and organic substances, carried out in connection with the
fundamental results of MacEwan and Mackenzie. The object of this work was
the study of adsorption of acetone in the vapor phase.
Samples of sodium and calcium montmorillonites were placed in pyrex tubes
provided each with a ground glass stopper and a tap. Each tube was joined to
a vacuum pump through a desiccating column and heated for several hours to
280°C so as to desorb the water contained in the clay and on the glass
walls. At the conclusion of the evacuation, the tube was opened
while hot, so as to introduce a recipient containing
acetone in solution in castor oil (which had been previously degassed in
vacuum). The tube was again closed, re-evacuated, cooled, then isolated from
the vacuum pump and put into a thermostat (40°C).