Thermal, spectral, and diffraction properties of Co-exchanged montmorillonite with 2-, 3-, and 4-hydroxyphenol

The influence of the 2-, 3-, and 4-OH phenols on the type of interaction with Co-exchanged montmorillonite and thermal properties of these materials were studied. The results of XRD, IR, and thermal (TG, DTG) analysis show that organic species are intercalated into the interlayer space of montmorillonite. Thermal decomposition in the temperature interval 20?C700?°C of studied samples with 2- and 3-hydroxyphenol proceeds in three steps (the release of adsorbed H₂O molecules, combustion/desorption of protonated hydroxy phenols and dehydroxylation), while the sample with 4-hydroxyphenol decompose in four steps (the new peak at ~222?°C corresponds to directly coordinated organic species). The effect of different position of the hydroxyl groups on the phenol ring on the thermal decomposition is evident.