ZnAl hydrotalcites modified with nanocomposites nZVI–PAA for environmental remediation

Diffraction patterns of polyacrylic acid (PAA) encapsulated-(Fe)-modified ZnAl hydrotalcite (ZnAlH) showed the integration of Fe in the H lattice, resulting in a hybrid nanocomposite (Fe-PAA-ZnAlH), which was mainly verified with the characteristic shift in the 59–63° (2θ) region of the ZnAlH (110) reflection plane. The rise in the unit cell parameters (c and a) as the Fe % incremented, denoted incorporation of Fe in the ZnAlH red. Nonetheless, changes in the immobilizer molecular weight (PAA MW) from 1250 kDa to 5.1 kDa did not cause a difference in the distance between layers (c parameter) but in the cation-cation separation (a parameter), which meant that the nanoparticle was not located between layers, but in the lattice. The resulting band gap energies of the calcined hybrid nanocomposites were among 1.07–1.21 eV, which is an additional support of Fe+3 integration, suggesting insertion of Fe+3 3d orbitals between the valence and the conduction band of ZnO. Furthermore, nZVI were prepared through a pre-agglomeration reduction method, where COOH-groups were bound to metal cations. Initially, aqueous Fe+2 was bound to PAA [Fe+2-PAA], then reduced to obtain enclosed hybrid (nZVI-PAA). Less stability and more aggregation were observed with the lower molecular weight PAA. Additionally, PAA dissociation caused by pH changes affected the clustering of the nZVI particles. At higher MW, the hydrodynamic diameter and size distribution become smaller and tighter, respectively, allowing a more monodispersed population with sphere shape and organized in core–shell beads chains.