Dependence of bonding interactions in Layered Double Hydroxides on metal cation chemistry

The evolution of various Infrared bands of Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) with variable Zn:Al ratio was analyzed to correlate it with the changes in octahedral metal cation chemistry, interlayer carbonate anion and hydroxyl content of LDH. The synthesized phase-pure LDHs were crystallized as hexagonal 2H polytype with a Manasseite structure. The broad and asymmetric hydroxyl stretching region (2400-4000 cm−1) can be deconvoluted into four different bands. With increase in Zn2+:Al3+ metal ratio, the peak position of stretching frequencies of Al3+OH and carbonate-bridged hydroxyl (water) decrease almost linearly. Individual band's peak position and area under the curve have been successfully correlated with the carbonate and hydroxyl content of LDH. Due to lowering of symmetry of the carbonate anion, the IR-inactive peak νCO, symm at 1064 cm−1 becomes IR active. The peak position of metal-oxygen bands and carbonate bending modes are practically unaffected by the Zn2+:Al3+ ratio but the area under the individual M-O bands shows a direct correlation.