title: Homogeneous precipitation by formamide hydrolysis: synthesis, reversible hydration, and aqueous exfoliation of the layered double hydroxide (LDH) of Ni and Al.
abstract: Homogenous precipitation by formamide hydrolysis results in the formation of a formate-intercalated layered double hydroxide (LDH) of Ni(II) and Al(III). The formate-LDH is sensitive to the atmospheric humidity and reversibly exchanges its intercalated water with atmospheric moisture. The hydration/dehydration cycle is complete within a narrow range of 0-30% relative humidity with significant hysteresis and involves a randomly interstratified intermediate phase. When immersed in water, the formate ion grows its hydration sphere (osmotic swelling), eventually leading to the exfoliation of the metal hydroxide layers into lamellar particles having in-plane dimensions of 100-200 nm and a thickness of 9-12 nm. These nanoplatelets restack to thicker tactoids again upon evaporation of the dispersion. The intercalated formate ion can be exchanged with nitrate ions in solution but not with iodide ions. These observations have implications for many applications of LDHs in the area of carbon dioxide sorption and catalysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Central College, Bangalore University, Bangalore 560 001, India.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Manohara
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: P Vishnu
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Milius
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breu