Preparation and Characterization of Immobilized Molybdenum Complex on Pillared Montmorillonite K-10

Abstract

This study was carried out to immobilize molybdenyl (VI) acetylacetonate (MoO2(acac)2) complex on alumina pillared montmorillonite K-10 (MMT K-10). Pillar MMT K-10 was produced by introducing MMT K-10 with a hydrolysis solution of NaOH with AlCl3. Different concentrations of pillaring solution were prepared in terms of OHto Al3+ ratio (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0) to observe the structural characteristics of MMT K-10. The pillared materials were then immobilized with 0.1 M MoO2(acac)2 and were characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled in an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) techniques. FTIR bands at ca. 890 – 930 cm-1 indicate that the Mo complex was immobilized on the surface of pillared MMT K-10 not in between the layers. This is supported by the SEM and XRD analysis where the SEM micrograph showed deposition of Mo on the surface of MMT K-10 as well as no modification of basal spacing was observed by XRD. Meanwhile, the d(001) spacing of the alumina pillared MMT K10 samples were seen to increase slightly as the concentration of OH/Al3+ increased.