Optimisation of the synthesis of Mg-AI-CO3 LDH and the partial substitution of Mg/Ca-based LDHS

Abstract

A green synthesis method for the synthesis of hydrotalcite has been previously developed but this process has not yet been optimised. The main focus of this dissertation was on aluminium-based LDHs. The purpose of this investigation were; to determine optimum synthesis conditions for the formation of hydrotalcite using the dissolution-precipitation method and to determine the possibility of partial substituting the divalent metal species in hydrotalcite and hydrocalumite with other metal species. During the optimisation process for the formation of hydrotalcite using the dissolution precipitation method, the formation of hydromagnesite was proved to be dominant reaction at lower reaction temperatures. With the increase in reaction time and temperature the decomposition of hydromagnesite occurred to form magnesite. At low temperatures the formation of Mg-Al-CO3 LDH is limited due to the low solubility of gibbsite. Mg-Al-CO3 LDH formation of 80 % was achieved at 140 oC after 2 hours reaction time, but crystallinity was low. To achieve an Mg-Al-CO3 LDH conversion higher than 96 % a reaction temperature of 160 oC for a minimum of 4 hours is required, but is achieved within 1 hour at 180 oC. A 99.37 % conversion was achieved at 180 oC for 5 hours with a high crystallinity and homogeneity. The surface area for Mg-Al-CO3 LDH at 180 oC after 5 hours reaction time proved to be 9.19 m2/g. The average particle size obtained for a high crystalline LDH was in the range of approx. 3 μm and 6.8 μm at temperatures of 160 oC and above for a minimum of 3 hours reaction time. The following are recommended for future work:  Determine the effect of mixing speed on the shape of the platelets.  Determine the difference between freshly precipitated metal oxides/hydroxides as reagents compared to aged metal oxides/hydroxides. The presence of Mg(OH)2 and Ca(OH)2 in solution (respectively) did increase the pH enough for the dissolution of gibbsite and most of the Mx+ metal species. A reaction time and temperature of 5 hours at 180 oC in a carbonate environment proved to be close to the ideal conditions for the formation of Mg/Mo-Al-CO3 LDH and Mg/Zn-Al-CO3 LDH. The results for the formation of Mg/Ti-Al-CO3 LDH were inconclusive. Isolation of the possible Mg/Ti-Al-CO3 LDH is recommended to determine the degree of substitution. The conditions for the dissolution of the metal species for the following experiments were proven to be successful:  Ca/Mn(lV)-Al  Ca/Mo-Al  Ca/Ni-Al  Ca/Ti-Al The following recommendations are made for the improvement on the formation of an Mx+-impregnated LDH/precursor:  Determine the effect of different reaction time and temperature.  Determine the effect of adding the carbonate source at temperatures above 100 oC under pressure.  Determine the effect of synthesising at different pH conditions. Cobalt and tin showed no/negligible amount of possible solubility.