Scalable preparation of alginate templated-layered double hydroxide mesoporous composites with enhanced surface areas...

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), also known as hydrotalcite-like layered clays, have previously been investigated as a potential solid alkaline catalyst. A necessary calcinations/rehydration procedure, however, is utilized to enhance surface area and catalytic activity of LDHs involved. Here we report on a scalable preparation of sodium alginate-templated MgAI-LDH (LDH/SA) mesoporous composites with high surface area and surface acidity. The powdery LDH/SA mesoporous composites are prepared using alginate as template by a scalable method of separate nucleation and aging steps (SNAS). Comparison with the pristine MgAl-LDH shows that the obtained LDH/SA composites exhibit the greatly enhanced surface area and surface activity of surface acid sites at the elevated high temperatures which have scarcely been reported previously. Our results may allow designing a variety of mesoporous LDH-containing composites with potential applications in specific catalysis and purification processes.