Nature-inspired delamination of layered double hydroxides into monolayered nanosheets in water

Inspired by the natural frost weathering of rocks and minerals, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were delaminated by a facile temperature shock method, without the usual involvement of organic solvents and sonication. The temperature shock was carried out with cycles of freezing the LDH solution in liquid nitrogen and subsequent melting the frozen solution in a 80 °C water bath. Around 67% LDHs were delaminated into nanosheets after 16 such cycles. Moreover, the LDH monolayers thus obtained retain their lateral size at least three times better than that prepared in formamide under sonication. The present work provides a green and general approach to obtain high quality LDH nanosheets, which are finding application across a wide spectrum of areas.