Preparation and Characterization of Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Composite Material: Polymerization of m-Aminobenzoic Acid-Intercalated Into Zn/Al-Layered Double Hydroxides

Abstract

Layered double hydroxides of aluminum and zinc (Zn/Al-LDHs) were synthesized directly by hydrolysis at room temperature as reported elsewhere. After characterization, the material was reacted with m-aminobenzoat anion (m-NH2C6H4COO-) which undergoes polymerization in the interlayer space; resulting in the formation of a matrix with polymeric organic macromolecule. The resulting material along with the host LDHs compound of Zn/Al-Cl was characterized by x-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), thermal analysis (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The study confirms the intercalation of m-aminobenzoat anion. Diffusion of oxygen molecules between the contact region of two anions in the interlayer space and oxidation of the anion lead to the formation of a polymeric macromolecule. This intercalation compound results in a gallery height of 15.8 Å, indicating that the guest anion stack to form a monolayer with the benzene rings perpendicular to the host layers, giving a suitable orientation for polymerization