Systematic utilization of layered double hydroxide nanosheets for effective removal of methyl orange from an aqueous system by π-π stacking-induced nanoconfinement

Su-Joung Ko , Tetsuo Yamaguchi , Fabrice Salles (1) , Jae-Min Oh

1 ICGM - Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier - Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux de Montpellier

Systematic utilization of carbonated Mg–Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets for methyl orange removal was investigated with respect to particle dimensions. LDHs with the smallest dimensions were carefully synthesized to have a small lateral size as well as high dispersibility. The other particles, with medium and large sizes, were prepared by hydrothermal treatment and urea hydrolysis to have larger sizes and higher crystallinity. According to kinetics and isotherm analyses, the smallest LDH showed efficient adsorption of methyl orange (1250 mg/g-LDH), which was remarkably higher than the adsorption by the other LDHs with larger lateral sizes. Unlike the larger lateral-sized LDHs, the small ones were shown to utilize all accessible adsorption sites on the nanosheets, generating nanoconfinement of methyl orange molecules. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns indicated that the LDHs with lateral dimensions of ~40 nm fully utilized interlayer nanospace. Monte Carlo simulation suggested that the intercalated methyl orange was stabilized not only through electrostatic interactions with the LDH layer but also by π-π stacking between the methyl orange molecules, which is thought to be the driving force for replacement of carbonate anions.

Mots clés: Anionic dye removalLDHMonte Carlo simulationSize effectIntercalation

Domaines: Matériaux

Su-Joung Ko, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Fabrice Salles, Jae-Min Oh. Systematic utilization of layered double hydroxide nanosheets for effective removal of methyl orange from an aqueous system by π-π stacking-induced nanoconfinement. Journal of Environmental Management, 2021, 277, pp.111455. ⟨10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111455⟩. ⟨hal-02970787⟩