Aging of trivalent metal hydroxide/oxide gels in divalent metal salt solutions: Mechanism of formation of layered double hydroxides (LDHs)

While the aging of freshly precipitated Al(OH)3 gels in solutions of Mg and Ni salts leads to LDH formation at high (> 12) pH, aging of ‘Fe(OH)3“ leads to LDH formation in Mg salt solutions but not in Ni salt3’ gels do not form LDHs on aging in any of the divalent metal salts. In general, conditions that promote the redissolution of the trivalent hydroxide also promote LDH formation showing that oxoanionic species such as AlO - 2 have a role in LDH formation.