Novel Strategy for Producing Nanoplatelets to be Used as Building Blocks for Shaping Nanofibers through Layered Double Hydroxides and Poly Vinyl Alcohol

Abstract

It is known that the layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have grown in the nano scale. However, their morphologies are platelets in the micro scale. In order to be more applicable for designing nano-devices, the present research promotes the growth process of LDHs not only to produce nanoplatelets using the chains of poly vinyl alcohol but also to use them as building blocks for forming nanofibers. In presence of poly vinyl alcohol, Zn-Al LDHs were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and Infrared spectra. SEM and TEM images showed that the prepared Zn-Al-PVA LDHs have nanofibers shape. HRTEM images revealed nanoplatelets with dimension lower than 10 nm around the fibers. By thermal treatment, the layered structure of the nanoplatelets disappeared and the nanocomposites of aluminum zinc oxides were grown in shape of nanofibers. The optical properties and the photo activities of the prepared nanoplatelets and nanofibers were examined and compared with their counterpart nanoparticles through photocatalytic degradation of colored dyes. The experimental results showed that the nanofibers were very active for photocatalytic degradation of green dyes. Finally, this study concluded that polymer chains could be used as seeds for growing nanoplatelets, which acted as building blocks in the nano scale to form active nanofibers for environmental applications. Also, this approach will be useful for building nanodevices.

Designing Dual-Function Nanostructures for Water Purification in Sunlight

“…The unit cell parameters (a and c) can be obtained from a = 2d(110) and c = 3d(003); respectively. The values were 0.31 nm and 2.28 nm agreeing with our results, which previously reported for LDHs [1].…”

“…The sharp and symmetric reflections of the XRD patterns of both Zn-Al-GO2 and Zn-Al-GO3, which observed at 11.8°, 24.6°, 34.7°, 37.4°, 39.3°, 60.3°, and 61.6°, agree with the basal spacing of the layered crystalline Zn-Al LDHs phase d003, d006, d012, d009, d015, d110 and d113; respectively. [1,21], indicating that the nanolayered structure of LDHs was successfully prepared. The basal spacing d-value of the (003) peak is 0.76 nm, which referred to the intercalation of carbonate into the interlayer spacing of LDHs [22][23][24].…”

“…The reflection of plane (100) peak is due to the condensation degree of the aromatic carbon ring. The orientation of the aromatic carbon ring in three-dimensional arrangement could be determined by the reflection of plane (002) [19,20] [1,21], indicating that the nanolayered structure of LDHs was successfully prepared. The basal spacing d-value of the (003) peak is 0.76 nm, which referred to the intercalation of carbonate into the interlayer spacing of LDHs [22][23][24].…”

“…Among several building blocks, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely studied. Recently, in our laboratory, LDHs have used as building blocks for producing nanofibers structures [1]. LDHs have nanolayered structures basing on brucite-like sheets.…”

Development of Ti/Ni Nanolayered Structures to Be a New Candidate for Energy Storage Applications

“…The insertion of cyanate and isocyanate anions into the Ni-Ti LDHs structure was verified by appearance of two bands. These two bands overlapped and centered at 2217 cm −1 [29][30][31][32]. As can be noted in Figure 4, traces of carbonate anions were also detected by a weak peak at 1459 cm −1 [28].…”