Layered zinc hydroxide salts: Delamination, preferred orientation of hydroxide lamellae, and formation of ZnO nanodiscs

► Layered zinc hydroxide salts (LZH) are delaminated into individual lamellae. ► LZH intercalated with dodecyl sulfate anions are delaminated in butanol to ca. 10-20 nm hydroxide lamellae. ► LZH nitrate treated in formamide yield lamellae with a size between 73.3 nm and 10 nm, affected by aging, having a thickness between 2.6 and 3.8 nm. ► LZH intercalated with dodecyl sulfate anions are transformed to anisotropic disc-like nanoparticles of ZnO flattened along the (001) plane.