Hydrotalcites

P.O. Box 6, Clifton Junction, Swinton,

Manchester M27 8LS, England.

Magnesium Elektron Inc., 500 Point Breeze Rd,

Flemington, NJ 08822, USA
Hazel Stephenson, Heather Bradshaw,
Nikkei-MEL, 4025-1, Shimizu-Miho, Shizuoka City, MEL Chemicals, Clifton Junction, Swinton, Manchester M27 8LS, England.
Shizuoka Prefecture, 424-0901, Japan.

A Luxfer Group Company

Introduction gentle calcination, the double layered

In 2006 we began development on a hydroxide structure can be regenerated
range of hydrotalcites. To date we have by exposure to anions, hence use as
been focusing our development on regenerable CO2 sorbants.
products primarily for use as carbon The mixed oxides resulting from
dioxide sorbants to complement our calcinations of hydrotalcites can be useful
Figure 4: SEM of XZO 1679/01
melsorb product range, however there in catalytic applications, due to their high
are a wide variety of applications that surface area and large pores, but also the Summary
can use hydrotalcites, examples include: distribution of metals on the surface. Hydrotalcites can be used in a variety of
• Additives for polymers Products applications. Modifying the structure by
• Anion exchange Using our experience in the preparation
addition of zirconia and / or alternative
• Antacids of mixed oxides we have been working
metals gives us the ability to tailor the
• Catalysts on process improvements to the standard
product properties to suit the specific
• Catalyst supports preparation techniques, aiming to give
application.
• Nuclear waste treatment improved impurity removal, increased
Tuneable properties include:
• Sorbants surface area stability and particle size • Activity of supported metal
• Water purification control. We have developed a product • Basisity
Hydrotalcites are formed in nature by the called XZO 1679/01 which has a Mg : Al : Zr • Capacity
weathering of basalts or from precipitation ratio
2.5 of 3:0.78 0.14. • Kinetics: sorption/ion exchange
in saline water sources, they are of the
Characterisation
• Particle size
general formula: 2.0
• Selectivity
Calcination Surface Area Total pore • Surface area
Wt% CO2

[M2+1-x M3+x(OH)2x]x+ (An- )x/n.mH2O 1.5

condition (m2/g) volume
(°C / hrs) (ml / g)
Samples
M2+ is typically Mg but can be Ni, Zn, Cu. 1.0
Laboratory samples of XZO 1679/01 up to
M3+ is typically Al but can be Cr, Mn, Co, Fe. Dried 67 0.27 500g and pilot plant samples up to 5kg are
0.5
A is any anion. available on request. For larger quantities,
400/2 225 0.60
0.0 or information on other compositions that
450/2
0 50 100 193
150 200 0.66 300
250
Anions M2+ or M3+
Time (mins) are available please contact:
Water molecules
500/2 177 0.58 melchemsales@melchemicals.com or our
OH-
700/2 157 0.73 agents O.C. Lugo, at info@oclugo.com.

Hydrotalcites are useful in such a variety Figure 1: Table of data for XZO 1679/01 Acknowledgments
1.2
of applications due to their layered double MEL Chemicals / MEI would like to thank
2.5
hydroxide structure (LDH). The cations 1.0 Dr Alexei Lapkin (a.lapkin@bath.ac.uk) and
Alina Iwan at Bath University for their help
CO2

create an overall positive charge in the 2.0

0.8
measuring CO2 sorption, SEM and
Wt% COWt%

layers, which is balanced by the presence

continued support in CO2 sorption projects.
2

0.6
1.5
of anions in the interlayer. These anions in
the interlayer can be exchanged, the order 0.4
1.0 References
of preference typically being: 0.2 1. Tsuji, M. et al. Hydrotalcites with an extended
0.5 Al3+ substitution: Synthesis, simultaneous
NO3- < Br- < Cl- < F- < OH- < SO42- 0.0 TG-DTA-MS study, and their CO2 adsorption
0 5 10 15 20
< CrO42- < HAsO42- < HPO42- < CO32- 0.0 Time (mins) behaviors. J. Mater. Res.,1993 8(5).
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
2. Velu, S. Ramaswamy, V. Ramani, A. New
M+ and M4+ metals can be used to part Time (mins)
hydrotalcite-like anionic clays containing Zr4+
substitute M2+ or M3+, this enables fine Figure 2: Uptake of CO2 at 25ºC for XZO 1679/01 in the layers. Chem. Commun,. 1997, 2107.
tuning of the product to suit specific 3. Tichit, D et al, Preparation of Zr containing
applications by reducing or increasing the Layered Double Hydroxides and characterization
of the acido-basic properties of their mixed
overall positive charge, and thus the capacity 5000

4. Braterman, P.S. Xu, Z.P, Yarberry, F. Layered

1.2 Aged 0700/2 oxides, Chem. Mater. 2002, 14, 1530-1538.
for anions, basisity and catalytic activity. 4000
1.0
Another interesting property of hydrotalcites Aged 0500/2 Double Hydroxides. (LDHs) Handbook of
Counts
Wt% CO2

3000 Layered Materials.

is their memory effect, after relatively 0.8
Aged 0450/2 5. Das, N.N. et Al, Adsorption of Cr(VI) and
2000
0.6 Aged 0400/2
Se(IV) from their aqueous solutions onto Zr4+
1000 substituted ZnAl/Mg/Al-layered double
0.4 As Received hydroxides: effect of Zr4+ substitution.
0
0.2
Colloid and interface science 2004 1-8.
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 6. Velu. S. et al. Selective production of hydrogen
º2 Theta
0.0 from fuel cells via oxidative steam reforming
0 5 10 15 20 of methanol over CuZrAl(Zr) oxide
1679/01
Figure 3: XRD of XZOTime (mins)
catalysts. Applied Cat. 2001, 213 47.

5000
Aged 0700/2
4000
Aged 0500/2
Counts

3000
Aged 0450/2
2000
Aged 0400/2
1000
As Received
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
º2 Theta