Synthesis and characterization of montmorillonite clay intercalated with molecular magnetic compounds

•Montmorillonite was employed as a host material.•Three molecular magnetic compounds were intercalated through ion exchange.•The compounds were successful intercalated maintaining the layered structure.•The hybrid materials exhibited similar magnetic behavior as the pure magnetic guest.

In this work montmorillonite (MMT) clay, whose matrix was modified with an ammonium salt (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide – CTAB), was employed as an inorganic host for the intercalation of three different molecular magnetic compounds through ion exchange: a nitronyl nitroxide derivative 2-[4-(N-ethyl)-pyridinium]-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (p-EtRad+) and two binuclear coordination compounds, [Ni(valpn)Ln]3+, where H2valpn stands for 1,3-propanediyl-bis(2-iminomethylene-6-methoxy-phenol), and Ln=GdIII; DyIII. The pristine MMT and the intercalated materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and magnetic measurements. The X-ray diffraction data analysis showed an increase of the interlamellar space of the intercalated MMT, indicating the intercalation of the magnetic compounds. Furthermore, the magnetic properties of the hybrid compounds were investigated, showing similar behavior as the pure magnetic guest species.

Graphical abstractMontmorillonite clay was employed as inorganic host for the intercalation of three different molecular magnetic compounds through ion exchangeFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide