Preparation, physicochemical characterisation and magnetic properties of Cu–Al layered double hydroxides with CO32− and anionic surfactants with different alkyl chains in the interlayer

Layered double hydroxides with the hydrotalcite-like structure, containing Cu(II) and Al(III) in the layers, and different alkyl sulphonates in the interlayer, have been prepared and characterised by powder X-ray diffraction, FT–IR spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. Their magnetic properties have been also studied. Except for the sample containing octadecanesulphonate in the interlayer, for which an excess of sulphonate exists, pure crystalline phases have been obtained in the other cases. Upon heating, combustion of the organic chain takes place at lower temperature than for the corresponding sodium salts. A two-dimensional antiferromagnetic behaviour is observed at 200 K in all samples containing intercalated sulphonate. The χT value is lower for the samples containing interlayer sulphonates (with layer–layer distances in the 21–31 Å range), than for a carbonate-containing analogue (basal spacing 7.51 Å).