Kaolinite nanomaterial: Intercalation of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromine in a methanol-kaolinite pre-intercalate

Intercalate nanomaterial comprising of ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromine [bmim]Br and methanol-pretreated kaolinite was prepared. We study several physical properties of the new intercalation compound by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), UV-vis spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The intercalation compound shows an increase of the basal spacing from 0.72 nm (for kaolinite) to 1.42 nm (for the material with the guest). Intercalated compound shows an increase in the thermal stability. Finally, the UV-vis spectra reveal significant absorption in the UV region for this inclusion compound.