Layered double hydroxide nanosheets via solvothermal delamination

A new solvothermal post-synthesis treatment for preparing high aspect ratio magnesium aluminium layered double hydroxides (MgAl–LDHs) has been developed. Treating laurate-intercalated MgAl–LDHs in pure ethanol in an autoclave for 48 h at 150 °C was found to produce delaminated MgAl–LDH nanosheets with a thickness of ∼2.6 nm and an aspect ratio of ∼105. It is proposed that the high pressure solvothermal process promotes the insertion of ethanol molecules into the LDH interlayer space, thereby facilitating delamination. This new post-synthesis treatment provides the opportunity for a facile, large scale route to highly delaminated high aspect ratio LDHs, which might be of interest towards novel nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage.