Intercalation of [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions into layered sodium silicate magadiite: a useful method to enhance their stabilisation in a highly dispersed state Original Research Article

Al-free layered sodium silicate magadiite has been used as the host material for the stabilisation of [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions via intercalation and/or ion-exchange reactions. The stabilisation of Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions in between the layers of Na-magadiite was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), where increased decomposition temperatures were observed for the intercalated materials. The intercalation behaviour of Na-magadiite was evident from the significant uptake of Pt ions (22.2 wt%). When silica gel was used as the host matrix, negligible uptake of Pt ions (1.3 wt%) was noticed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed no appreciable change in the basal spacing of the intercalated materials. Nevertheless, the decrease in the intensity of the 001 peak with increasing Pt loadings (from 13.0 to 22.2 wt%) substantiated the intercalation of [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions within the interlayer spaces of Na-magadiite. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the intercalated materials revealed that [Pt(NH3)4]2+ ions were homogeneously intercalated in the magadiite matrix, ranging from 2 to 3 nm. Subsequent calcination of the intercalated materials at 600 °C in air led to the formation of Pt nanoparticles supported on silica. The results of XRD and TEM indicated that Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the silica support and were in the range of 5–12 nm. Moreover, chemical analyses confirmed the high loading of Pt on silica in agreement with the TGA results.