Delamination and restacking of hybrid layered double hydroxides assessed by in situ XRD

Delamination and restacking of dodecyl-sulfate-intercalated hydrotalcite in CCl4 and toluene were followed by in situ low-angle XRD. It is shown that exfoliation of hybrid layered double hydroxides must be rationalized in terms of the miscibility of the solvent and the aliphatic chains of the intercalated amphiphilic anions. The macroscopic appearance of diluted systems, however, is determined by the interaction between the edges of the exfoliated lamella.