Synthesis and Physico-Chemical Properties of Zinc Layered Hydroxide-4-Chloro-2-Methylphenoxy Acetic Acid (ZMCPA) Nanocomposite

Hybrid nanocomposite zinc layered hydroxide-4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (ZMCPA) was successfully synthesized via direct reaction of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy acetic acid (MCPA) with zinc oxide (ZnO) under an aqueous environment. The pure phase and well-ordered ZMCPA was obtained when ZMCPA was synthesized at 0.3 M MCPA. The resulting nanocomposite, ZMCPA was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analyses (TGA/DTG) and CHNS Analyzer. Basal spacing showed that the gallery height of zinc layered hydroxide (ZLH) expanded from 11.Å to 24.1 Å, indicating that the MCPA anions were successfully intercalated into the interlayer space of ZLH. The FTIR spectrum of the ZMCPA shows it resembles the spectra of ZnO and MCPA that confirms the intercalation of MCPA between the ZLH sheets. FESEM shows the ZnO precursor has granular structure and transformed into a flake–like structure when the nanohybrid is formed. Percentage loading of MCPA interleaved in the nanohybrid is 50.2%. (paper)