Fabrication of Hierarchical Layered Double Hydroxide Framework on Aluminum Foam as a Structured Adsorbent for Water Treatment

Turning catalytically active pores into active pumps

We develop a semi-analytical model of self-diffusioosmotic transport in active pores, which includes advective transport and the inverse chemical reaction that consumes solute. In previous work [Antunes et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 188003 (2022)], we have demonstrated the existence of a spontaneous symmetry breaking in fore-aft symmetric pores that enables them to function as a micropump. We now show that this pumping transition is controlled by three timescales. Two timescales characterize advective and diffusive transport. The third timescale corresponds to how long a solute molecule resides in the pore before being consumed. Introducing asymmetry to the pore (either via the shape or the catalytic coating) reveals a second type of advection-enabled transition. In asymmetric pores, the flow rate exhibits discontinuous jumps and hysteresis loops upon tuning the parameters that control the asymmetry. This work demonstrates the interconnected roles of shape and catalytic patterning in the dynamics of active pores and shows how to design a pump for optimum performance.

Fabrication of γ-Al2O3 Nanoarrays on Aluminum Foam Assisted by Hydroxide for Monolith Catalysts

Heat distribution and good adhesion of the washcoat on monolith catalysts are critical to improving catalytic activity and long-term stability. Compared with cordierite, metal foam presents a high thermal conductivity coefficient. Also, the availability of "washcoat" in situ grown on metal substrates opens the door to eliminating the problem of coating peeling. Generally, hydrothermal or thermal methods are used for the fabrication of in situ grown washcoat on metal substrates. In this research, the aluminum foam monolith vertically aligned Al₂O₃ nanowire array is successfully prepared at ambient temperature in an alkaline solution for the first time. Furthermore, the Pt-loaded Al₂O₃ nanowire array (0.5 g_Pt/L _monolith) is applied to C₂H₄ degradation. The catalyst converts 90% C₂H₄ at 147 °C with a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 20,000 h^-1. And a little decrease (1%) is observed in catalytic activity, even in 15 vol % water vapors. The catalysts show good thermal stability and water resistance property over 36 h at 300 °C. Above all, this study presents a simple way of in situ growth of washcoat on metal-substrate monolith with potentially scaled manufacturing. And the monolith catalyst shows good catalytic performance on C₂H₄, which can be applied for volatile organic compound treatment.

Application of functionalized layered double hydroxides for heavy metal removal: A review

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are ionic laminar composites composed of positively charged brucite-like layers with an interlayered region containing charged compensating anions and solvation molecules. Such functional LDHs materials present a strong potential for heavy metal treatment especially for wastewater and soil, due to the large surface area and layered structure. This paper started with the background of techniques for heavy metals treatment and then discussed the potential environmental toxic effects, feasibility, stability of LDH composites. The preparation strategies of LDHs composites, and their application were summarized, followed by main mechanisms involving chelation, complexation, surface precipitation, ion exchange. This work also presented the potential environmental toxic effects, feasibility, stability of LDHs composites, reuse of waste liquid and the ratio adjustment of M²⁺ and N³⁺ for LDHs synthesis. While most efforts focused on improving the absorption capacity of LDHs by composites construction, ignoring the toxicity effects and detailed mechanism investigation. Based on a thorough review of the latest development, the challenges and perspectives would be proposed, offering promising insights on environmental purification via LDHs based materials.

Zn–Al Layered Double Hydroxides Synthesized on Aluminum Foams for Fluoride Removal from Water

Fluoride excess in water represents an environmental issue and a risk for human health since it can cause several diseases, such as fluorosis, osteoporosis, and damage of the nervous system. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) can be exploited to remove this contaminant from water by taking advantage of their high ion-exchange capability. LDHs are generally mixed with polluted water in the form of powders, which then cause the problem of uneasy separation of the contaminated LDH sludge from the purified liquid. In this work, Zn–Al LDH films were directly grown in situ on aluminum foams that acted both as the reactant and substrate. This method enabled the removal of fluoride ions by simple immersion, with ensuing withdrawal of the foam from the de-contaminated water. Different LDH synthesis methods and aluminum foam types were investigated to improve the adsorption process. The contact time, initial fluoride concentration, adsorbent dosage, and pH were studied as the parameters that affect the fluoride adsorption capacity and efficiency. The highest absorption efficiency of approximately 70% was obtained by using two separate growth methods after four hours, and it effectively reduced the fluoride concentration from 3 mg/L to 1.1 mg/L, which is below the threshold value set by WHO for drinking water.

Synthesis and Thermal Degradation of MAl4(OH)12SO4·3H2O with M = Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2

The synthesis and thermal degradation of MAl₄(OH)₁₂SO₄·3H₂O layered double hydroxides with M = Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ ("MAl₄-LDH") were investigated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy, scanning tunnel electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and solid-state ¹H and ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy. Following extensive synthesis optimization, phase pure CoAl₄- and NiAl₄-LDH were obtained, whereas 10-12% unreacted bayerite (Al(OH)₃) remained for the CuAl₄-LDH. The optimum synthesis conditions are hydrothermal treatment at 120 °C for 14 days (NiAl₄-LDH only 9 days) with MSO₄(aq) concentrations of 1.4-2.8, 0.7-0.8, and 0.08 M for the CoAl₄-, NiAl₄-, and CuAl₄-LDH, respectively. A pH ≈ 2 for the metal sulfate solutions is required to prevent the formation of byproducts, which were Ni(OH)₂ and Cu₃(SO₄)(OH)₄ for NiAl₄- and CuAl₄-LDH, respectively. The thermal degradation of the three MAl₄-LDH and ZnAl₄-LDH in a nitrogen atmosphere proceeds in three steps: (i) dehydration and dehydroxylation between 200 and 600 °C, (ii) loss of sulfate between 600 and 900 °C, and (iii) formation of the end products at 900-1200 °C. For CoAl₄-LDH (ZnAl₄-LDH), these are α-Al₂O₃ and CoAl₂O₄ (ZnAl₂O₄) spinel. For NiAl₄-LDH, a spinel-like NiAl₄O₇ phase forms, whereas CuAl₄-LDH degrades by a redox reaction yielding a diamagnetic CuAlO₂ (delafossite structure) and α-Al₂O₃.

Electron Donor-Acceptor Effect-Induced Organic/Inorganic Nanohybrids with Low Energy Gap for Highly Efficient Photothermal Therapy

For the design and optimization of near-infrared photothermal nanohybrids, tailoring the energy gap of nanohybrids plays a crucial role in attaining a satisfactory photothermal therapeutic efficacy for cancer and remains a challenge. Herein, we report an electron donor-acceptor effect-induced organic/inorganic nanohybrid with a low energy gap (denoted as ICG/Ag/LDH) by the in situ deposition of Ag nanoparticles onto the CoAl-LDH surface, followed by the coupling of ICG. A combination study verifies that the supported Ag nanoparticles as the electron donor (D) push electrons into the conjugated system of ICG by the electronic interaction between ICG and Ag, while OH groups of LDHs as the electron acceptor (A) pull electrons from the conjugated system of ICG by hydrogen bonding (N···H-O). This induces the formation of the D-A conjugated π-system and has a strong influence on the π-conjugated system of ICG, thus leading to a prominent decrease toward the energy gap and correspondingly an ultra-long redshift (∼115 nm). The resulting ICG/Ag/LDHs show an enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency (∼45.5%) at 808 nm laser exposure, which is ∼1.6 times larger than that of ICG (∼28.4%). Such a high photothermal performance is attributed to the fact that ICG/Ag/LDHs possess a D-π-A hybrid structure and a resulting lower energy gap, thus effectively promoting nonradiative transitions and leading to enhancement of the photothermal effect. Both in vitro and in vivo results confirm the good biocompatible properties and capability of the ICG/Ag/LDHs for NIR-triggered cancer treatment. This research demonstrates a successful paradigm for the rational design and preparation of new nanohybrids through the modulation of electron donor-acceptor effect, which offers a new avenue to achieve efficient phototherapeutic agent for improving the cancer therapeutic outcomes.

Memory Effect on a LDH/zeolite A Composite: An XRD In Situ Study

In this memory effect study, hydrotalcite-type compounds in the lamellar double hydroxide-like (LDH)/zeolite A composite material were analyzed using X-Ray Diffration XRD) in situ experiments. Three samples were analyzed: Al,Mg-LDH, Al,Mg-LDH/ZA composite, and a physical mixture (50/50 wt%) of zeolite A and Al,Mg-LDH. The Al,Mg-LDH sample was treated at 500 °C in an O₂ atmosphere and subsequently rehydrated. The Al,Mg-LDH/ZA composites had three treatments: one was performed at 300 °C in a He atmosphere, and two treatments were performed with an O₂ atmosphere at 300 and 500 °C. In the physical mixture, two treatments were carried out under O₂ flow at 500 °C and under He flow at 300 °C. Both went through the rehydration process. All samples were also analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the LDH phase in the Al,Mg-LDH/ZA compounds has memory effects, and thus, the compound can be calcined and rehydrated. For the LDH in the composite, the best heat treatment system is a temperature of 300 °C in an inert atmosphere.

A colloid chemistry route for the preparation of hierarchically ordered mesoporous layered double hydroxides using surfactants as sacrificial templates

An efficient synthetic route was developed to prepare hierarchically ordered mesoporous layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used as a sacrificial template to tune the interfacial properties of the LDH materials during the synthetic process. The SDS dose was optimized to obtain stable dispersions of the SDS-LDH composites, which were calcined, then rehydrated to prepare the desired LDH structures. Results of various characterization studies revealed a clear relationship between the colloidal stability of the SDS-LDH precursors and the structural features of the final materials, which was entirely SDS-free. A comparison to the reference LDH prepared by the traditional co-precipitation-calcination-rehydration method in the absence of SDS shed light on a remarkable increase in the specific surface area (one of the highest within the previously reported LDH materials) and pore volume as well as on the formation of a beneficial pore size distribution. As a proof of concept, the mesoporous LDH was applied as adsorbent for removal of nitrate and dichromate anions from aqueous samples, and excellent efficiency was observed in both sorption capacity and recyclability. These results make the obtained LDH a promising candidate as adsorbent in various industrial and environmental processes, wherever the use of mesoporous and organic content-free materials is required.

Nanostructured MnO2 nanosheets grown on nickel foam: an efficient and readily recyclable 3D artificial oxidase for the colorimetric detection of ascorbic acid

.An efficient and readily recyclable 3D artificial oxidase (NF@MnO₂) for the colorimetric detection of ascorbic acid was well constructed with nickel foam as the substrate.

One-Step Synthesis of Mesoporous Chlorine-Doped Carbonated Cobalt Hydroxide Nanowires for High-Performance Supercapacitors Electrode

Self-stabilized and well-defined chlorine-doped carbonated cobalt hydroxide nanowires have been obtained as a binder-free electrode via a facile method. The Co material has a unique well-defined needle-like structure, composed of highly aligned monomer with the diameter of about 3-10 nm and numerous surface pores, which makes it have potential for high-performance electrochemical capacitors. The test results show the directly acquired Co-ClNWs(NiE) electrode in three-electrode system can reach the specific capacity of more than 2150 F/g under the current density of 1 A/g, accompanied by a good cycling stability of 94.3% capacitance retention after 500 cycles, and exhibits a high energy density of 41.8 W h/kg at the power density of 1280.7 W/kg when using it as the positive electrode of an asymmetric supercapacitor. After making a comparison of the current material with the conventional electrodes, we can find that a better electrochemical performance can be achieved with a more convenient one-step method. Therefore, we, in this work, may provide a new type of manufacturing concept for future electrode treatment.

Carbon Cloth Supported Nano-Mg(OH)2 for the Enrichment and Recovery of Rare Earth Element Eu(III) From Aqueous Solution

Nano-Mg(OH)₂ is attracting great attention as adsorbent for pre-concentration and recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from low-concentration solution, due to its superior removal efficiency for REEs and environmental friendliness. However, the nanoparticles also cause some severe problems during application, including aggregation, blockage in fixed-bed column, as well as the difficulties in separation and reuse. Herein, in order to avoid the mentioned problems, a carbon cloth (CC) supported nano-Mg(OH)₂ (nano-Mg(OH)₂@CC) was synthesized by electrodeposition. The X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the interlaced nano-sheet of Mg(OH)₂ grew firmly and uniformly on the surface of carbon cloth fibers. Batch adsorption experiments of Eu(III) indicated that the nano-Mg(OH)₂@CC composite maintained the excellent adsorption performance of nano-Mg(OH)₂ toward Eu(III). After adsorption, the Eu containing composite was calcined under nitrogen atmosphere. The content of Eu₂O₃ in the calcined material was as high as 99.66%. Fixed-bed column experiments indicated that no blockage for Mg(OH)₂@CC composite was observed during the treatment, while the complete blockage of occurred to nano-Mg(OH)₂ at an effluent volume of 240 mL. Moreover, the removal efficiency of Mg(OH)₂@CC was still higher than 90% until 4,200 mL of effluent volume. This work provides a promising method for feasible application of nanoadsorbents in fixed-bed process to recycle low-concentration REEs from wastewater.

Three-dimensional layered double hydroxide membranes: fabrication technique, growth mechanism, and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Novel three-dimensional ZnAl–LDH/AAO and NiAl–LDH/AAO membranes using porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates as a substrate and an Al³⁺ source were successfully fabricated via a simple precipitant-free in situ growth technique.

Preparation of a Mg/Al/Fe layered supramolecular compound and application for removal of Cr(vi) from laboratory wastewater

Herein, a Mg/Al/Fe layered supramolecular compound (Mg/Al/Fe-LDH) was fabricatedviaa co-precipitation method with a Mg/Al/Fe mixed solution and used to remove Cr(vi) in laboratory wastewater.

Flexible Mg–Al layered double hydroxide supported Pt on Al foil for use in room-temperature catalytic decomposition of formaldehyde

Flexible and bendable Mg–Al layered double hydroxide supported Pt catalysts fabricated and used in room-temperature catalytic decomposition of formaldehyde.

Selective removal of thiosulfate from thiocyanate-containing water by a three-dimensional structured adsorbent: a calcined NiAl-layered double hydroxide film

NiAl-layered double hydroxide (NiAl-LDH) platelets were uniformly grown on a porous Ni foam substrate by a facile in situ hydrothermal method.

Preparation and evaluation of a layered double hydroxide film on a nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide/aluminum wire as a highly thermal-resistant solid-phase microextraction fiber

A hierarchical layered double hydroxide framework on a nonporous anodic aluminum oxide/aluminum wire was used as a solid phase microextraction fiber for separation and determination of phenolic compounds.

Layered double hydroxide-based nanomaterials as highly efficient catalysts and adsorbents

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a class of anion clays consisting of brucite-like host layers and interlayer anions, which have attracted increasing interest in the fields of catalysis/adsorption. By virtue of the versatility in composition, morphology, and architecture of LDH materials, as well as their unique structural properties (intercalation, topological transformation, and self-assembly with other functional materials), LDHs display great potential in the design and fabrication of nanomaterials applied in photocatalysis, heterogeneous catalysis, and adsorption/separation processes. Taking advantage of the structural merits and various control synthesis strategies of LDHs, the active center structure (e.g., crystal facets, defects, geometric and electronic states, etc.) and macro-nano morphology can be facilely manipulated for specific catalytic/adsorbent processes with largely enhanced performances. In this review, the latest advancements in the design and preparation of LDH-based functional nanomaterials for sustainable development in catalysis and adsorption are summarized.

Probing Local Structure of Layered Double Hydroxides with (1)H Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy on Deuterated Samples

By using a simple and efficient deuteration process, (2)H has been successfully introduced into layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Due to significantly less (1)H-(1)H homonuclear dipolar coupling, high-resolution (1)H solid-state NMR spectra can now be obtained conveniently at medium to low spinning speed to extract the information of cation ordering in LDHs. Furthermore, we show that double-resonance experiments can be applied easily to investigate internuclear proximities and test possible cation-ordered superstructure models. This approach can be readily extended to LDHs with different compositions to explore the local structure and the key interactions between the cations in the layer and interlayer anions.

Use of high-pressure CO2 for concentrating CrVI from electroplating wastewater by Mg-Al layered double hydroxide

The desorption of Cr(VI) from Cr(VI)-adsorbed layered double hydroxide (Cr(VI)-LDH) and the recycling of LDH adsorbent are the bottlenecks that limit the practical application of LDH in treating Cr(VI)-containing industrial wastewater. Given the strong affinity of LDH for CO2, we studied desorption and enrichment of Cr(VI) from Cr(VI)-LDH as well as recycling of LDH in the presence of high-pressure CO2. Results showed that Cr(VI) solution with concentration of 500 mg/L could be enriched more than 20 times in each adsorption-desorption cycle. The regenerated LDH maintained the layer structure and the sheets as revealed by XRD and TEM patterns. FT-IR data showed CO2 formed HCO3(-) at high pressure. The transformation from CO2 to HCO3(-) followed by the anion-exchange with CrO4(2-) was the critical factor for Cr(VI) desorption and LDH regeneration. A pilot-scale experiment was carried out with 20 L Cr(VI)-containing electroplating wastewater. The concentration of the desorbed Cr(VI) solution could reach up to 10000 mg/L, which could be used in electroplating after appropriate adjustment. The main advantages of this method are high concentration of Cr(VI), direct reuse of enriched Cr(VI), and efficient regeneration of LDH adsorbent. This method showed promises in recycling Cr(VI) and regenerating LDH in treating industrial wastewater.