Soft-chemical synthesis and catalytic activity of Ni-Al and Co-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated with anions with different charge density

Co-Al and Ni-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) intercalated with three types of anionic molecules, dodecylsulfate (C12H25SO4−, DS), di-2-ethylsulfosuccinate ([COOC2H3EtBu]2C2H3SO3−, D2ES), and polytungstate (H2W12O4210−, HWO) were prepared by means of ion-exchange and co-precipitation processes. With the use of DS and D2ES as intercalation agents, high crystallinity was maintained after intercalation into the LDHs. In the case of HWO, the intercalated LDHs could be obtained by ion-exchange as well as co-precipitation with a decline in the crystallinity; however, unreacted LDH was detected in the ion-exchange samples, and some unwanted phases such as hydroxide and pyrochlore were generated by the co-precipitation process. The maximum specific surface area and pore volume of the Ni-Al sample with intercalated HWO, prepared by the ion-exchange process were 74 m2/g and 0.174 mL/g, respectively. The occupancies of DS, D2ES, and HWO within the interlayer space were approximately 0.3–0.4, 0.5–0.6, and 0.1–0.2, respectively, in the Co-Al and Ni-Al LDHs. Analysis of the catalytic activity demonstrated that the DS-intercalated Ni-Al LDH sample exhibited relatively good catalytic activity for conversion of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone.