Investigations on Microstructural and Layer Disorder Parameters of Na-Montmorillonite-Glycine Intercalation Compounds

Abstract

Glycine-Montmorillonite (Gly-MMT) composite has been synthesized through intercalation process using Na-Montmorillonite (Na- MMT) and glycine ethylester hydrochloride. Gly-MMT was employed for the synthesis of dipeptide (Gly-Gly-MMT). Microstructural parameters such as crystallite size, r.m.s. strain (<e²>^1/2) and layer disorder parameters such as variation of interlayer spacing (g) and proportion of planes affected by such defects (?) of the samples have been calculated by X-ray line profile analysis. In comparison to Na-MMT the basal spacings (d₀₀₁) of Gly-MMT and Gly-Gly-MMT were reduced by 2.4Å and 1.8Å respectively. The value of d₀₀₁ of Gly-Gly-MMT (13.3 Å) suggests the monolayer orientation of dipeptide into interlayer spaces. It is also suggested that more homogeneity in the stacking of silicate layers is attained in Gly-Gly-MMT due to the increased chain length of the dipeptide and orientation in monolayer style.