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Applications
Interest in the study of hydrotalcites results from their potential use as catalysts
(Alejandre et al., Applied Catalysis, v. 30, p. 195-207, 2001; Das and
Parida, Rect. Kinet. Catal. Lett., v. 69, p. 223-229, 2000; Patel et
al., J. Vinyl Addit. Technol., v. 1, p. 201-206, 1995; Rives et al.,
1998). The reason for the potential application rests with the ability to make
mixed metal oxides at the atomic level, rather than at a particle level. Such
mixed metal oxides are formed through the thermal decomposition of the hydrotalcite
(Rey et al.,; J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans., 88, 2233-2238, 1992; Valcheva-Traykova
et al., Journal of Materials Science, 28, 2157-2162, 1993). Hydrotalcites
may also be used as a components in nano-materials such as nano-composites (Oriakhi
et al., Clays Clay Miner., 45, 194-202, 1997). Hydrotalcites are also
important in the removal of environmental hazards in acid mine drainage (Lichti
and Mulcahy, Chemistry in Australia, v. 65, p. 10-131998; Seida and Nakano,
Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, v. 34, p. 906-911, 2001).
Hydrotalcite formation also offers a mechanism for the disposal of radioactive wastes (Roh et al., Clays and Clay Minerals, ,v. 48, p. 266-271, 2000) or as a means of heavy metal removal from contaminated waters (Seida et al., 2001).
Of particular importance is the use of hydrotalcites in wastewater treatment, specifically for the removal of anions such as arsenate or cyanide (Theo Kloprogge and Frost, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., v. 1, p. 1641-1647, 1999a).
Synthesis of hydrotalcite
samples
The hydrotalcites were synthesised by the co-precipitation method (Hickey et
al., J. Mater. Sci., v. 35, p. 4347-4355, 2000), synthesizing hydrotalcites
with materials varying in amounts of magnesium, zinc and aluminium (or, in place
of magnesium, nickel or cobalt; and in place of aluminium, iron or chromium).
The composition of the hydrotalcites may be checked by ICP and ICP-AES analysis.
The phase composition is checked by X-ray diffraction.
Hydrotalcites are based on the brucite structure, in which some magnesium is replaced by a trivalent cation such as aluminium (Al3+), iron (Fe3+) or chromium (Cr3+). This replacement introduces a positive charge on the layered double hydroxides, and this charge is counterbalanced by an anion that may be carbonate or sulphate.
It should be understood that the interlayer spaces in these anionic clays are filled with water and anions. In certain natural hydrotalcites the divalent cations are replaced by other divalent cations such as zinc (Zn3+) or nickel (Ni3+). In many natural hydrotalcites the interlayer is composed of a mixture of anions.
Characterisation of hydrotalcites
Hydrotalcites are characterised in a number of ways, firstly by X-ray diffraction
to show the anionic clays are a layered structure; secondly by transmission
electron microscopy (TEM) to show the crystallinity of the anionic clay and
by vibrational spectroscopy to show the structure of the anions in the interlayer
(Kloprogge et al., American Mineralogist, v. 87, p. 623-629, 2002).
Another excellent tool for studying the anions in the interlayer is Raman spectroscopy. Many of the anions in the interlayer are oxyanions, which lend themselves to Raman spectroscopic analysis. The sulphate ion SO42- is one example.
Hydrotalcites and the layered double hydroxides form a fascinating set of clay minerals to study. The natural minerals are probably best described as hydrotalcites and the synthetic anionic clays as layered double hydroxides.
The question arises as to whether or not man can synthesise clay minerals better
than nature and the answer is yes. Why? Because the hydrotalcites that are synthesized
are of high purity.
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