The　cationic　exchange　performances　of　alkali,　alkaline　earth　metals,　and　other　cations　with　clinoptilolite　(CP)　were　investigated,　in　which,　the　dried　CP　was　firstly　converted　into　(Na　and　K)-exchanged　CP　and　finally　ammonium-exchanged　CP　via　ammonization,　and　then,　various　cations　were　selected　to　further　exchange　with　NH4+-CP　at　different　times,　initial　concentrations　and　temperatures.　The　exchange　kinetics　and　thermodynamic　parameters　were　calculated,　and　the　results　demonstrated　that　the　ion　exchange　behaviors　were　mainly　thermodynamic-controlled,　and　the　positive　values　of　enthalpy　change　indicated　the　endothermic　process.　The　adsorption　kinetics　model　and　diffusion　model　fitting　were　employed　to　evaluate　their　adsorption　mechanism,　suggesting　the　pseudo-second-order　kinetics　and　intra-particle　diffusion.　Meanwhile,　the　phyico-chemical　properties　of　before　and　after　ion-exchanged　CPs　were　obtained　via　XRD,　N2　sorption　isotherms,　SEM　and　EDS,　FT-IR　spectra,　TG-DSC　profiles.　The　results　showed　that　the　structural　parameters　were　strongly　dependent　on　the　exchanged　cationic　valence　and　their　radii,　while　their　textural　parameters　were　remained　intact.　Finally,　their　CH4　and　N2　adsorption　capacity　and　selectivity　were　preliminary　explored,　showing　promising　adsorbents　for　N2　-　CH4　separation.　These　investigates　are　useful　in　the　development　of　more　general　rules　to　understand　deeply　the　ion-exchanged　principles　of　CP,　and　thereafter　better　design　of　new　adsorbents　widely　employed　in　gas　separation.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.