Thermal analysis of montmorillonite-aminotriazole interactions

In the present investigation, DTA and TG techniques were used to study the thermal behaviour of montmorillonite treated with solutions of the pesticide aminotriazole (AMT), in nitrogen flow. These techniques have been complemented by mass spectrometry of the evolved gases (EGA-MS). AMT is adsorbed in the interlamellar space of montmorillonite as a cation. Results obtained in this study show that this provokes a shift of the dehydroxylation peak of montmorillonite to lower temperatures than those of the untreated clay. Montmorillonite protects the adsorbedAMT, delaying its first decomposition step, and catalysesAMT final decomposition at lower temperatures. The DTA curve of montmorillonite-AMT mechanical mixture differs from the sum of those of the clay mineral and the pesticide heated individually. Montmorillonite dehydroxylation occurs at lower temperature, indicating a complex formation betweenAMT and the mineral during the heating process. However the DTA of the mixture is different from that of the complex previously studied, indicating that in the complex obtained by heating the physical mixtureAMT is adsorbed as neutral molecule or as a product of its decomposition.