Applications of Mechanochemically Prepared Layered Double Hydroxides as Adsorbents and Catalysts: A Mini-Review

Catalysts Based on Ni(Mg)Al-Layered Hydroxides Prepared by Mechanical Activation for Furfural Hydrogenation

Ni(Mg)Al-layered hydroxides with molar ratios of (Ni + Mg)/Al = 2, 3, 4 and Ni/(Ni + Mg) = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 were synthesized by mechanochemical activation. It has been proven that the phase composition of the samples was presented by a single hydrotalcite phase up to Ni/(Ni + Mg) = 0.5. For the first time, catalysts based on Ni(Mg)Al-layered hydroxides prepared by a mechanochemical route have been studied in the reaction of furfural hydrogenation. The correlation between furfural conversion, the selectivity of the products, and the composition of the catalysts was established. The effect of phase composition, surface morphology, and microstructure on the activity of the catalysts was shown by XRD, SEM, and TEM. It was found that catalysts with Ni/(Ni + Mg) = 0.5 have the highest furfural conversion. Herewith, the product selectivity can be regulated by the (Ni + Mg)/Al ratio.

Applications of crushing and grinding-based treatments for typical metal-containing solid wastes: Detoxification and resource recovery potentials

Metal-containing solid wastes can induce serious environmental pollution if managed improperly, but contain considerable resources. The detoxification and resource recoveries of these wastes are of both environmental and economic significances, being indispensable for circular economy. In the past decades, attempts have been made worldwide to treat these wastes. Crushing and grinding-based treatments have been increasingly applied, the operating apparatus and parameters of which depend on the waste type and treatment purpose. Based on the relevant studies, the applications of crushing and grinding on four major types of solid wastes, namely spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) cathode, waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), incineration bottom ash (IBA), and incineration fly ash (IFA) are here systematically reviewed. These types of solid wastes are generated in increasing amounts, and have the potentials to release various organic and inorganic pollutants. Despite of the widely different texture, composition, and other physicochemical properties of the solid wastes, crushing and grinding have been demonstrated to be universally applicable. For each of the four wastes, the technical route that involving crushing and grinding is described with the advantages highlighted. The crushing and grinding serve either mainstream or auxiliary role in the processing of the solid wastes. This review summarizes and highlights the developments and future directions of crushing and grinding-based treatments.

Layered double hydroxides for corrosion-related applications—Main developments from 20 years of research at CICECO

This work describes the main advances carried out in the field of corrosion protection using layered double hydroxides (LDH), both as additive/pigment-based systems in organic coatings and as conversion films/pre-treatments. In the context of the research topic “Celebrating 20 years of CICECO”, the main works reported herein are based on SECOP’s group (CICECO) main advances over the years. More specifically, this review describes structure and properties of LDH, delving into the corrosion field with description of pioneering works, use of LDH as additives to organic coatings, conversion layers, application in reinforced concrete and corrosion detection, and environmental impact of these materials. Moreover, the use of computational tools for the design of LDH materials and understanding of ion-exchange reactions is also presented. The review ends with a critical analysis of the field and future perspectives on the use of LDH for corrosion protection. From the work carried out LDH seem very tenable, versatile, and advantageous for corrosion protection applications, although several obstacles will have to be overcome before their use become commonplace.

Multifaceted potential applicability of hydrotalcite-type anionic clays from green chemistry to environmental sustainability

Hydrotalcite-like anionic clays (HTs) also known as Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been developed as multifunctional materials in numerous applications related to catalysis, adsorption, and ion-exchange processes. These materials constitute an important class of ionic lamellar solid clays of Brucite-like structure which comprise of consecutive layers of divalent and trivalent metal cations with charge balancing anions and water molecules in interlayer space. These materials have received increasing attention in research due to their interesting properties namely layered structure, ease of preparation, flexible tunability, ability to intercalate different types of anions, electronic properties, high thermal stability, high biocompatibility, and easy biodegradation. Moreover, HTs/LDHs have unique tailorable and tuneable characteristics such as both acidic and basic sites, anion exchange capability, surface area, basal spacing, memory effect, and also exhibit high exchange capacities, which makes them versatile materials for a wide range of applications and extended their horizons to diverse areas of science and technology. This study enlightens the various rational researches related to the synthetic methods and features focusing on synthesis and/or fabrication with other hybrids and their applications. The diverse applications (namely catalyst, adsorbent to toxic chemicals, agrochemicals management, non-toxic flame retardants, and recycling of plastics) of these multifunctional materials related to a clean and sustainable environment were also summarized.

Photocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Conversion by Structurally and Materially Modified Titanium Dioxide Nanostructures

TiO₂ has aroused considerable attentions as a promising photocatalytic material for decades due to its superior material properties in several fields such as energy and environment. However, the main dilemmas are its wide bandgap (3–3.2 eV), that restricts the light absorption in limited light wavelength region, and the comparatively high charge carrier recombination rate of TiO₂, is a hurdle for efficient photocatalytic CO₂ conversion. To tackle these problems, lots of researches have been implemented relating to structural and material modification to improve their material, optical, and electrical properties for more efficient photocatalytic CO₂ conversion. Recent studies illustrate that crystal facet engineering could broaden the performance of the photocatalysts. As same as for nanostructures which have advantages such as improved light absorption, high surface area, directional charge transport, and efficient charge separation. Moreover, strategies such as doping, junction formation, and hydrogenation have resulted in a promoted photocatalytic performance. Such strategies can markedly change the electronic structure that lies behind the enhancement of the solar spectrum harnessing. In this review, we summarize the works that have been carried out for the enhancement of photocatalytic CO₂ conversion by material and structural modification of TiO₂ and TiO₂-based photocatalytic system. Moreover, we discuss several strategies for synthesis and design of TiO₂ photocatalysts for efficient CO₂ conversion by nanostructure, structure design of photocatalysts, and material modification.

Layered double hydroxides for removing and recovering phosphate: Recent advances and future directions

Eutrophication is a widespread environmental challenge caused by excessive phosphate. Thus, wastewater engineers primarily aim to limit the phosphate concentration in water bodies. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are lamellar inorganic materials containing tunable brucite-like structures. This review discusses the fundamental aspects and latest developments in phosphate removal using LDH-based materials. Based on the divalent cations, Ca, Mg, and Zn-containing LDHs are largely used along with trivalent cations such as Al and Fe owing to their limited toxicities. However, classical LDHs are affected by the presence of co-existing anions, have a narrow working pH range, and have moderate adsorption capacities. Binary LDHs have been designed to be selective towards phosphate by the addition of a third metal such as Zr⁴⁺. Developing LDH composites with magnetic, polymeric or carbon materials are feasible approaches for increasing adsorption capacity, stability, and reusability of LDHs. Biochar as a carrier material for LDHs achieved remarkable phosphate adsorption performance and improved LDH dispersion, anion exchange capacity, and ease of separation. The use of recovered phosphate as an SRF, which is a type of bioavailable fertilizer, is a promising approach.

Preparation of Amine-Modified Cu-Mg-Al LDH Composite Photocatalyst

Cu-Mg-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with amine modification were prepared by an organic combination of an anionic surfactant-mediated method and an ultrasonic spalling method using N-aminoethyl-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane as a grafting agent. The materials were characterized by elemental analysis, XRD, SEM, FTIR, TGA, and XPS. The effects of the Cu²⁺ content on the surface morphology and the CO₂ adsorption of Cu-Mg-Al LDHs were investigated, and the kinetics of the CO₂ adsorption and the photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ were further analyzed. The results indicated that the amine-modified method and appropriate Cu²⁺ contents can improve the surface morphology, the increase amine loading and the free-amino functional groups of the materials, which were beneficial to CO₂ capture and adsorption. The CO₂ adsorption capacity of Cu-Mg-Al N was 1.82 mmol·g⁻¹ at 30 °C and a 0.1 MPa pure CO₂ atmosphere. The kinetic model confirmed that CO₂ adsorption was governed by both the physical and chemical adsorption, which could be enhanced with the increase of the Cu²⁺ content. The chemical adsorption was suppressed, when the Cu²⁺ content was too high. Cu-Mg-Al N can photocatalytically reduce CO₂ to methanol with Cu²⁺ as an active site, which can significantly improve the CO₂ adsorption and photocatalytic conversion.

Alternative ball-milling synthesis of vanadium-substituted polyoxometalates as catalysts for the aerobic cleavage of C-C and C-O bonds

Vanadium-substituted phosphomolybdic acids (H_3+x[PMo_12-xV_xO₄₀], denoted as V_x) are well-known oxidation catalysts that are generally prepared by the hydrothermal treatment of MoO₃ and V₂O₅ in the presence of H₃PO₄. This synthesis procedure is highly energy consuming and the V_x yields are not always acceptable. In the present work, an alternative hybrid mechanochemical/hydrothermal synthesis of V_x is proposed, comprising the ball-milling of MoO₃ and V₂O₅, followed by a hydrothermal attack. The resulting materials, with 2 ≤ x ≤ 3, obtained from this new route were compared, in terms of yield, energy consumption and catalytic activity, with a reference V₃ sample prepared through a conventional hydrothermal treatment. The ball-milling step proved to lead not only to a shorter and far more energy-saving synthesis procedure, but also to high yields of V_x. Moreover, V_x from this alternative route proved to be generally more active than the conventionally prepared V₃ in the aerobic oxidative cleavage of C-O and C-C bonds in 2-phenoxyacetophenone, used herein as a lignin model compound.

Mg-Al/Biochar Composite with Stable Structure for Malachite Green Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions

Mg-Al-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was fabricated using a coprecipitation method at pH 10. Thereafter, Mg-Al-LDH was impregnated with biochar to manufacture a Mg-Al/Biochar composite. The composite was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, N2 adsorption—desorption, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments, and was subsequently used for malachite green (MG) adsorption. MG adsorption experiments were performed in a batch system, and the effects of temperature and adsorption kinetic and isotherm parameters on the adsorption process were analyzed. The stability of Mg-Al/Biochar was evaluated using regeneration experiments over three cycles. The peaks at 11.47° (003), 22.86° (002), 34.69° (012), and 61.62° (116), in the XRD profile of Mg-Al/Biochar suggested that Mg-Al/Biochar was successfully fabricated. The surface area of Mg-Al/Biochar was up to five times larger than that of pristine Mg-Al-LDH. The adsorption of MG on Mg-Al/Biochar was dominated by interactions at the surface of the adsorbent and was classified as physical adsorption; moreover the maximum adsorption capacity ofMg-Al/Biochar was 70.922 mg/g. Furthermore, the MG removal of Mg-Al/Biochar during three successive adsorption cycles (i.e. 66.73%, 65.57%, and 65.77% for the first, second, and third adsorption cycle) did not change significantly, which indicated the stable structure of the adsorbent. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

Applications of porous frameworks in solid-phase microextraction

Porous frameworks are a term of attracting solid materials assembled by interconnection of molecules and ions. These trendy materials due to high chemical and thermal stability, well-defined pore size and structure, and high effective surface area gained attention to employ as extraction phase in sample pretreatment methods before analytical analysis. Solid-phase microextraction is an important subclass of sample preparation technique that up to now different configurations of this method have been introduced to get adaptable with different environments and analytical instruments. In this review, theoretical aspect and different modes of solid-phase microextraction method are investigated. Different classes of porous frameworks and their applications as extraction phase in the proposed microextraction method are evaluated. Types and features of supporting substrates and coating procedures of porous frameworks on them are reviewed. At the end, the prospective and the challenges ahead in this field are discussed.

CuAl LDH/Rice Husk Biochar Composite for Enhanced Adsorptive Removal of Cationic Dye from Aqueous Solution

The preparation of CuAl LDH and biochar (BC) composite derived from rice husk and its application as a low-cost adsorbent for enhanced adsorptive removal of malachite green has been studied. The composite was prepared by a one-step coprecipitation method and characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM−EDX). The result indicated that CuAl LDH was successfully incorporated with the biochar that evidenced by the broadening of XRD peak at 2θ = 24° and the appearance of a new peak at 1095 cm−1 on the FTIR spectra. The BET surface area analysis revealed that CuAl/BC composite exhibited a larger surface area (200.9 m2/g) that the original CuAl LDH (46.2 m2/g). Surface morphological changes also confirmed by SEM image, which showed more aggregated particles. The result of the adsorption study indicated the composite material was efficient in removing malachite green with Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of CuAl/BC reaching 470.96 mg/g, which is higher than the original CuAl LDH 59.523 mg/g. The thermodynamic analysis suggested that the adsorption of malachite green occurs spontaneously (ΔG < 0 at all tested temperature) and endothermic nature. Moreover, the CuAl/BC composite showed strong potential as a low-cost adsorbent for cationic dye removal since it showed not only a high adsorption capacity but also good reusability. Copyright © 2020 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

Degradation-by-design: how chemical functionalization enhances the biodegradability and safety of 2D materials

A large number of graphene and other 2D materials are currently used for the development of new technologies, increasingly entering different industrial sectors. Interrogating the impact of such 2D materials on health and environment is crucial for both modulating their potential toxicity in living organisms and eliminating them from the environment. In this context, understanding if 2D materials are bio-persistent is mandatory. In this review we describe the importance of biodegradability and decomposition of 2D materials. We initially cover the biodegradation of graphene family materials, followed by other emerging classes of 2D materials including transition metal dichalcogenides and oxides, Xenes, Mxenes and other non-metallic 2D materials. We explain the role of defects and functional groups, introduced onto the surface of the materials during their preparation, and the consequences of chemical functionalization on biodegradability. In strong relation to the chemistry on 2D materials, we describe the concept of "degradation-by-design" that we contributed to develop, and which concerns the covalent modification with appropriate molecules to enhance the biodegradability of 2D materials. Finally, we cover the importance of designing new biodegradable 2D conjugates and devices for biomedical applications as drug delivery carriers, in bioelectronics, and tissue engineering. We would like to highlight that the biodegradation of 2D materials mainly depends on the type of material, the chemical functionalization, the aqueous dispersibility and the redox potentials of the different oxidative environments. Biodegradation is one of the necessary conditions for the safe application of 2D materials. Therefore, we hope that this review will help to better understand their biodegradation processes, and will stimulate the chemists to explore new chemical strategies to design safer products, composites and devices containing 2D materials.

Mechanochemical synthesis of Fe2O3/Zn-Al layered double hydroxide based on red mud

In this work, using industrial waste red mud (RM) as main starting material, a simple method of mechanochemical synthesis (MCS) was introduced as a green approach to synthesize heterogeneous Fe₂O₃/Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (F/ZA-LDH), which could be used as a new low-cost catalyst for photo-Fenton reaction. The optimum preparation conditions of F/ZA-LDH were as follows: mass ratio of Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O to RM (m_Zn:m_RM) 2:1, dry milling time 6 h, H₂O dosage 2 mL, ball-to-powder mass ratio 50:1, and milling speed 250 rpm. The effects of the synthesis conditions on the crystal structure and catalytic activity of F/ZA-LDH were analyzed. The F/ZA-LDH was characterized by XRD, TG, XPS, SEM, (HR)TEM. The characterization results showed the composite had a crystallized hydrotalcite-like structure, and the crystalline phases in the optimum F/ZA-LDH were Fe₂O₃ and Zn-Al LDH. A hetero-interfaces between Fe₂O₃ and Zn-Al LDH existed in the synthesized Fe₂O₃/Zn-Al LDH composite. Furthermore, the possible mechanism for F/ZA-LDH formation in the MCS process was proposed. Overall, our results provide a systematic understanding of the preparation of LDH composite through MCS using RM as main material, and our findings help to develop green technology for reusing RM.

Insight into the enhanced catalytic activity of a red mud based Fe2O3/Zn–Al layered double hydroxide in the photo-Fenton reaction

In this work, the enhanced catalytic activity of red mud based Fe₂O₃/Zn–Al layered double hydroxide in the photo-Fenton reaction has been studied in detail.

Mechanochemical Synthesis and Isomerization of N-Substituted Indole-3-carboxaldehyde Oximes †

Performing solution-phase oximation reactions with hydroxylamine hydrochloride (NH₂OH·HCl) carries significant risk, especially in aqueous solutions. In the present study, four N-substituted indole-3-carboxaldehyde oximes were prepared from the corresponding aldehydes by solvent-free reaction with NH₂OH·HCl and a base (NaOH or Na₂CO₃) using a mechanochemical approach, thus minimizing the possible risk. In all cases, the conversion to oximes was almost complete. The focus of this work is on 1-methoxyindole-3-carboxaldehyde oxime, a key intermediate in the production of indole phytoalexins with useful antimicrobial properties. Under optimized conditions, it was possible to reach almost 95% yield after 20 min of milling. Moreover, for the products containing electron-donating substituents (-CH₃, -OCH₃), the isomerization from the oxime anti to syn isomer under acidic conditions was discovered. For the 1-methoxy analog, the acidic isomerization of pure isomers in solution resulted in the formation of anti isomer, whereas the prevalence of syn isomer was observed in solid state. From NMR data the syn and anti structures of produced oximes were elucidated. This work shows an interesting and possibly scalable alternative to classical synthesis and underlines environmentally friendly and sustainable character of mechanochemistry.

Layered Double Hydroxide-Based Nanomaterials-From Fundamentals to Applications

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and their composites with various substances represent an important class of materials suitable for several existing and future applications in biological, chemical, and environmental processes [...].

TiO2 Based Nanostructures for Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion to Valuable Chemicals

Photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to useful products is an alluring approach for acquiring the two-fold benefits of normalizing excess atmospheric CO2 levels and the production of solar chemicals/fuels. Therefore, photocatalytic materials are continuously being developed with enhanced performance in accordance with their respective domains. In recent years, nanostructured photocatalysts such as one dimensional (1-D), two dimensional (2-D) and three dimensional (3-D)/hierarchical have been a subject of great importance because of their explicit advantages over 0-D photocatalysts, including high surface areas, effective charge separation, directional charge transport, and light trapping/scattering effects. Furthermore, the strategy of doping (metals and non-metals), as well as coupling with a secondary material (noble metals, another semiconductor material, graphene, etc.), of nanostructured photocatalysts has resulted in an amplified photocatalytic performance. In the present review article, various titanium dioxide (TiO2)-based nanostructured photocatalysts are briefly overviewed with respect to their application in photocatalytic CO2 conversion to value-added chemicals. This review primarily focuses on the latest developments in TiO2-based nanostructures, specifically 1-D (TiO2 nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanobelts etc.) and 2-D (TiO2 nanosheets, nanolayers), and the reaction conditions and analysis of key parameters and their role in the up-grading and augmentation of photocatalytic performance. Moreover, TiO2-based 3-D and/or hierarchical nanostructures for CO2 conversions are also briefly scrutinized, as they exhibit excellent performance based on the special nanostructure framework, and can be an exemplary photocatalyst architecture demonstrating an admirable performance in the near future.

Use of Co/Fe-Mixed Oxides as Heterogeneous Catalysts in Obtaining Biodiesel

Catalyst-type mixed metal oxides with different compositions and Co/Fe ratios were obtained from layered double hydroxides to be used as heterogeneous catalysts in the production of biodiesel. The effect of the Co/Fe ratio on the precursors of the catalysts was analyzed, considering their thermal, textural and structural properties. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric), X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and N2-physisorption. The conversion to biodiesel using the different catalysts obtained was determined by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy and 1H-Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, allowing us to correlate the effect of the catalyst composition with the catalytic capacity. The conditions for obtaining biodiesel were optimized by selecting the catalyst and varying the percentage of catalyst, the methanol/oil ratio and the reaction time. The catalysts reached yields of conversion to biodiesel of up to 96% in 20 min of reaction using only 2% catalyst. The catalyst that showed the best catalytic activity contains a mixture of predominant crystalline and amorphous phases of CoFe2O4 and NaxCoO2. The results suggest that cobalt is a determinant in the activity of the catalyst when forming active sites in the crystalline network of mixed oxides for the transesterification of triglycerides, with high conversion capacity and selectivity to biodiesel.

Mechanochemically synthesized MgAl layered double hydroxide nanosheets for efficient catalytic removal of carbonyl sulfide and H2S

Mechanochemically prepared MgAl-LDH nanosheets with high crystallinity and large surface areas show excellent activities in COS hydrolysis and H₂S oxidation.

A solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis of polyaromatic hydrocarbon derivatives

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons are central molecules in the future of nanotechnology. However, the synthesis of these molecules is limited by their lack of solubility in solvents, especially green solvents, their ease of oxidation in solution and use of harmful reagents. Solvent-free mechanochemistry has been shown to have excellent potential for these types of molecules and should provide a much more environmentally benign approach for the synthesis of this very important class of molecules. This report details the use of mechanochemistry on an iterative strategy for the synthesis of polyaromatic hydrocarbon derivatives.

A solvent-free use of mechanochemistry on an iterative strategy for the synthesis of polyaromatic hydrocarbon derivatives.