Mechanism and degradation kinetics of zinc complex containing isophthalato and 2,2′-dipyridylamine ligands under different atmospheres

Abstract

The design of mixed-ligand complexes are of increasing interest from fundamental as well as technological and curative aspects. Having that in mind, we studied zinc complex containing 2,2′-dipyridylamine (dipya) and dianion of isophthalic acid (ipht), [Zn(dipya)(ipht)]n, as promising precursor for synthesis of nanostructured metal oxide. In that sense, the mechanism and degradation kinetics of [Zn(dipya)(ipht)]n was analyzed under non-isothermal conditions in nitrogen and in air atmospheres. Peak deconvolution of the [Zn(dipya)(ipht)]n decomposition profile, in the form of a derivative thermogram (DTG), in nitrogen atmosphere, revealed the presence of three decomposition steps, while in air five single steps were isolated. In both cases ZnO is formed as residue at 530 °C: pure (in air) or in amorphous matrix (nitrogen). In air we obtained well crystalized ZnO nanospheres (∼25 nm), by thermal treatment in temperature range 370–530 °C showing that this complex could be considered as good precursor for production of nanosized ZnO.