Synthesis and thermal decomposition of metal hydroxide intercalated saponite

• Saponite and anionic clays made to delaminate in water to form colloidal dispersions
• Dispersions are mixed to get a chlorite-like composites of the two clays.
• Chlorite-like composite gives saponite–metal oxide nanocomposite on heating.

Chlorite-like nanocomposites in which the anionic clay layers are intercalated between the cationic clay layers were prepared by mixing an aqueous colloidal dispersion of exfoliated layers of copper hydroxysalt or α-cobalt hydroxide with an aqueous colloidal dispersion of exfoliated saponite layers. The nanocomposites showed a different thermal decomposition behavior compared to the parent layered solids. The thermal decomposition of the chlorite-like nanocomposites resulted in nanocomposites in which metal oxide (CuO/Co3O4) nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in saponite matrix. The particle size of the oxide nanoparticles in the nanocomposite could be varied by varying the decomposition parameters such as the temperature and duration of decomposition.

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