Three kinds of Gemini surfactants（n=14

16

18） and a common surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide（CTAB） were used to modify the sodium montmorillonite（MMT）.Infrared spectroscopy

X-ray diffraction

and thermogravimetric analysis show that surfactants have been successfully inserted between the MMT layers.Further

X-ray diffraction shows that Gemini surfactants have greater intercalation ability than CTAB

the d001 spacing of the montmorillonite which modified by CTAB

Gemini 1

Gemini 2

Gemini 3 were 2.18

3.25

3.83

3.84 nm

and with the carbon chain of Gemini surfactants growth

the layer spacing of the sodium montmorillonite will also increases.UV-Vis spectrophotometer result shows that the montmorillonite modified by Gemini surfactants significantly absorb more phenol than the montmorillonite modified by CTAB.Under the same conditions

the absorption rates of phenol of the montmorillonite modified by CTAB

Gemini 1

Gemini 2

Gemini 3 were 7.29%

41.16%

56.28%

65.14%

and with the carbon chain of Gemini surfactants grows

more phenol will be absorbed.