LDH-maleic anhydride copolymers as new hybrid materials and their textural organisation

New hybrid materials based on maleic anhydride-vinyl acetate copolymers incorporated within a LDH network (Mg/Al=2/1) were obtained by using either the coprecipitation method or the reconstruction method. XRD, FTIR and DTA analyses were used for obtaining information about the structural features of the new synthesized hybrid structure. The textural organisation at micro-nanoscale of the samples was studied by using SEM and TEM microscopy techniques. The inorganic matrix and the polymer both contribute to establish the specific micromorphology of the studied samples: well defined microsheets were stacked one of top of the other. The thickness and shape of the microsheets and their textural disorder were influenced by the synthesis procedure. The agglomerated particles preserved the typical platelet morphology of the LDH though they partially entrapped the fibrous particles of the polymer. These results can open new perspectives in designing new hybrid materials with specific textural organisation at micro- nanoscale. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.