Deintercalation of carbonate from
layered double hydroxides (LDH)
followed by intercalation of another anion (decarbonative intercalation)
is a good method for the synthesis of crystalline LDH with different
intercalated anions. We have carried out decarbonative intercalation
of halides, nitrate, acetate, and sulfate by refluxing the carbonate-LDH
with the corresponding ammonium salt in 1-butanol to obtain ordered
LDH incorporating the desired anion. The crystallinity of the precursor
LDH is retained in the anion-exchanged products, making this reaction
a useful tool to prepare ordered LDH containing various anions. In
addition, the morphology of the LDH is also retained after the exchange,
making the reaction morphotactic. As the reaction is facilitated by
the weak acidity of the ammonium salt, just grinding the carbonate-LDH
with the ammonium salt of the desired anion also results in anion
exchange. However, while the crystallinity of the LDH is retained,
the morphology changes possibly due to breaking up of the crystals
during the reaction.