Retention of heavy metals on layered double hydroxides thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

The LDHs thin films were deposited using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The different adsorption mechanisms were studied in connection with different heavy metals used as probe cations. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy were the techniques used for the investigation of as deposited and after heavy metals retention thin films.