The textural properties of iron substituted hydrotalcites obtained in a tailored aqueous–organic synthesis medium

Iron containing layered double hydroxides with specific textural properties are synthesized by using tailored compositions of an aqueous–organic synthesis medium as a controlled variable synthesis parameter. SEM analysis points out that the nature of the organic solvent and the aqueous–organic solvent ratio contribute in establishing not only different sizes and/or shapes of the hydrotalcite-like particles, but also distinct features of their organisation and interconnection pattern. As a consequence, interparticle voids with different characteristics emerge giving rise to specific mesoporous properties of the studied samples. The SBET value is 41 m2/g for the sample synthesized in water/glycerol/cyclohexane, reaches 108 m2/g for the sample obtained in water/glycerol/ethanol whereas the corresponded Vp value increases from 0.24 ml/g to 0.41 ml/g respectively. The possibility to shape the micromorphology properties of layered double hydroxides can contribute in designing and obtaining well established nanoporous properties for these materials.