Hydroxy-chromium solutions were prepared from chromium nitrate solutions by adding NaOH with OH/Cr = 2.
The solutions were treated at 20°C and 60°C. The hydrolysis times were from 1 to 100 days. Polymeric species in hydrolyzed chromium solutions were followed by visible absorption spectra within the range 325–800 nm and by pH measurement. OH-Cr-smectite with high d(001) spacing (2.07 nm) was obtained when hydroxy-chromium solution was prepared at 60°C and with 1-day hydrolysis. When this sample was heated up to 350°C the basal spacing collapsed at 1.8 nm.
The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms.