Synthesis of Dazomet-Zinc/Aluminum-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomposite and Its Phytotoxicity Effect on Oil Palm Seed Growth

Abstract

A fungicide nanodelivery system has been synthesized by the intercalation of dazomet into the interlayer galleries of the zinc/aluminum-layered double hydroxide (Zn/Al-LDH) using the ion-exchanged method. A basal spacing expansion from 8.9 A in the layered double hydroxide (LDH) to 29.7 A in the nanocomposite was observed. A Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) study has shown that the absorption bands of the resulting nanocomposite has both dazomet and Zn/Al-LDH characteristics, which confirmed the intercalation of dazomet into the Zn/Al-LDH interlayers with enhanced thermal stability of the guest, dazomet. Further studies on oil palm seedlings were also conducted on the dazomet-intercalated Zn/Al-LDH (DZALDH) and compared with the hexazonazole-intercalated Zn/Al-LDH (HZALDH). Both of them have shown positive effects on oil palm seed growth. This work has shown that the resulting agronanochemicals have a dual-modal fungicide nanodelivery system as a fungicide and a micronutrient supplier to support early pl...