Pristine Layered Double Hydroxides Research Articles

Optimization of parameters for adsorption of acid yellow 36 dye onto nitrate‐intercalated MgAl LDH nanoparticle using Box–Behnken design

AbstractBACKGROUNDLayered double hydroxide nanoparticles have been extensively investigated and exploited for the removal of harmful anions from contaminated water. For adsorption of acid yellow dye (AY) from contaminated water, nitrate‐intercalated MgAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles were synthesized using the co‐precipitation method with the refluxing condition in a nitrogen atmosphere.RESULTSThe X‐ray diffraction pattern of LDH nanoparticles showed that LDH nanopowder with nitrate in the interlayer position was successfully synthesized. The shift in (003) basal plane diffraction peak to a lower angle (2θ) of 7.75° in the LDH‐AY from 10.40° in the pristine LDH confirmed the intercalation of AY in the interlayer space of LDH. Variable factors for the adsorption of the AY on the LDH nanoparticles were examined in the batch process using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and those included the adsorbent dose (5–30 mg), the incubation time (3–60 min), the temperature (25–50 °C), the pH of the AY aqueous suspension (5–9) and the AY concentration (0.03–0.1 mg mL−1). Box–Behnken design was used to optimize the three independent variables of temperature, incubation time and pH of AY solution for the adsorption of the dye. The optimized values of the incubation time, temperature and pH were found to be 25.89 min, 35.99 °C and 5.16, respectively. A maximum adsorption rate of 0.00515 g mg−1 min−1 of AY onto LDH nanoparticles was found at a solution pH of 5 and a temperature of 50 °C. The adsorption kinetics of the AY at different suspension pH values and temperature followed a pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. Furthermore, an adsorption isotherm study for the adsorption of AY at a temperature of 40 °C and pH 5 followed a Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacity of the AY was calculated to be 412.55 mg g−1 with excellent regeneration capacity.CONCLUSIONThe study revealed that the synthesized nitrate intercalated Mg Al LDH nanoparticles using the reflux conditions offered promising potential to adsorb acid yellow 36 dye form its aqueous solution. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Synthesis and characterization of quercetin-layer double hydroxide (LDH) nanohybrid and their enhanced antioxidant activity

ABSTRACT. This research included the synthesis of pristine nitrate-type Zn2Al-LDH by means of Co-precipitation, which was then followed by hydrothermal treatment. Ion exchange is used to stabilize the produced pristine LDH nano layer, which is used for the encapsulation of bioactive molecules. Quercetin, which has an antioxidant function, is used. XRD was used to investigate the newly synthesized quercetin-LDH (QC-LDH) compound. Quercetin was discovered to be entirely deprotonated as a result of XRD research, and it was also shown to be stabilized in between LDH lattices as a result of electrostatic contact. On the basis of the diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, the anti-oxidant property was discussed, and it was discovered that the quercetin that was free from the LDH layer helped as an owing antioxidant to scavenge DPPH radicals in ethanol solvent at concentrations ranging from 80-100%, depending on the concentration level. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the incorporation of quercetin into the interlayer led to an expansion of the interlayer arrangement to 0.88 and 1.46 nm, respectively. According to the findings of a variety of characterization techniques, the QC-LDH may be regarded as a good antioxidant material with potential drug delivery system.
 
 KEY WORDS: Layer double hydroxide, Antioxidant activity, Quercetin, Biocompatibility
 
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(4), 917-929.
 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i4.9

Sonochemical synthesis, characterization and investigation of the electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of Ho3Fe5O12/Mg2Al(OH)7 nanocomposites

It has been noted that hydrogen has attracted extensive consideration in the field of new energy, resulting in a wide range of studies concerning hydrogen production, storage, and use. As part of this research, mixed metal oxide materials with double layer hydroxides are primarily studied for their hydrogen storage capacity. In terms of hydrogen storage capacity, the sonochemically synthesized Ho3Fe5O12/Mg2Al(OH)7 nanocomposites (HF/MgAl(OH)) with different ratios of Ho3Fe5O12 to Mg2Al(OH)7 were compared with pristine LDH of Mg2Al(OH)7. It has been demonstrated that the capacity of Ho3Fe5O12/Mg2Al(OH)7 nanocomposites (422 mAhg−1) with a 1:1 ratio of Ho3Fe5O12 to Mg2Al(OH)7 is significantly higher than pristine LDH (213 mAhg−1).

Catalytic Activity of LDH-TiO2 and LDH-ZnO in Photodegradation of Procion Red

Pristine layered double hydroxides (LDHs) which have been modified into LDHs-metal oxide composite were applied as procion red (PR) photodegradation catalysts. The preparation was performed using a low calcination temperature of 300°C. Optimization variations include pH, catalyst weight and catalysis time. The degradation percentages of Mg/Al LDH, Mg/Al-TiO2 and Mg/Al-ZnO were 51.8%, 72.0% and 89.5%, respectively. The percentage of degradation of Zn/Al LDH, Zn/Al-TiO2 and Zn/Al-ZnO were 44.0%, 61.2% and 58.4%, respectively. The study results showed that all composites produced a greater percentage of PR degradation and better reusability than pristine LDH. Mg/Al LDH-based catalysts tend to catalyze PR better than Zn/Al LDH-based catalysts. PR which is an anionic dye when photodegraded using Mg/Al-ZnO tends to be better than Mg/Al-TiO2 meanwhile Zn/Al-TiO2 and Zn/Al-ZnO have competitive performance.

Nickel foam supported hierarchical NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH heterostructures as highly efficient electrode for long cycling stability supercapacitor

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) based heterostructures provide an opportunity for the development of high-performance supercapacitors. Up till now, hierarchical NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH heterostructure is scarcely investigated for supercapacitor. In this work, the hierarchical NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH heterostructure nanosheet arrays on Ni-foam (NF) were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. As the supercapacitor electrode, it has been revealed that the incorporation of NiFe can significantly increase the capacitive performance of the heterostructure. At a current density of 1 Ag−1, a specific capacitance of NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH electrode was reached up to 827 Fg−1, outperforming that of pristine NiCo2S4 and NiFe LDH. Moreover, the electrode keeps 90.2% of its preliminary capacitance after 12,000 cycles at 5 A g−1. In addition, NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH electrode offer high energy density of 38.1 W h kg−1 and power density of 1800 W kg−1. According to DFT calculations, NiFe-LDH adsorption on NiCo2S4 is strong and governed by large interfacial interactions with a charge transfer of 0.44 eV to NiCo2S4 surface thus demonstrating the significantly improved electrochemical performance. Hence, such an outstanding electrochemical finding suggest that NiCo2S4@NiFe LDH heterostructures could be attractive electrode materials as practical supercapacitors for next generation energy storage devices.

One-step preparation of ZnTi-LDH/graphene nanosheet hybrids in supercritical ethanol based on an exfoliation-reassembly strategy and their enhanced photocatalytic performance

This study proposed a one-step preparation method for ZnTi-layered double hydroxide (ZnTi-LDH)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheet hybrids in a supercritical ethanol system. After treating pristine ZnTi-LDH and rGO in the supercritical state of ethanol (268 °C, 10 MPa) for 1 h, nanocomposites composed of LDH nanosheets (7–10 nm in thickness) and rGO were obtained. Based on the conversion of ethanol between supercritical and conventional states, this method achieves the exfoliation of LHD nanosheets and reassembly with rGO in one step. This method promotes the generation of oxygen vacancies (OVs) favorable for electron-hole pair separation on the LDH/rGO surface. In the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes, the degradation rate constants of LDH/rGO composites for Rhb and AO7 are 2.9 and 3.3 times that of pristine LDH, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was attributed to the OVs on the LDH/rGO surface, the positively charged LDH nanosheets, and the electrical conductivity of rGO.

Adsorption of Fe(II) by Layered Double Hydroxide Composite with Carbon-Based Material (Biochar and Graphite): Reusability and Thermodynamic Properties

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) of Ni/Al was synthesized by coprecipitation method at pH 10 followed by the formation of composite with carbon-based material i.e., biochar (B) and graphite (G) to form Ni/Al-B and Ni/Al-G. Materials were characterized by XRD powder, FTIR, BET surface area, thermal analyses, and SEM analysis. The regeneration process and adsorption evaluated the performance of materials toward iron(II) [Fe(II)] from an aqueous solution. The results showed that the surface area of Ni/Al-B (428.94 m2/g) was increased mainly up to twenty-nine-fold than Ni/Al LDH (15.11 m2/g), while Ni/Al-G (21.59 m2/g) had slightly increased than pristine LDH. Composite of Ni/Al-B had reusability properties for Fe(II) adsorption up to five cycles and showed higher structural stability. The adsorption capacity of Ni/Al-B was 104.167 mg/g and can be a potential adsorbent to remove Fe(II) from an aqueous solution.

Mechanochemical establishment of CuBi2O4/Zn-Al LDH p-n heterogeneous junction for effectively promoted bisphenol A photodegradation under visible-light driven

A noble metal-free CuBi2O4/Zn-Al LDH p-n junction hybrids with built-in electric field were facile synthesized through a mechanochemical pathway. The phase composition, micromorphology, crystal structure, electrochemical properties and DFT theoretical calculation of the as-synthesized materials were fully qualitatively investigated. Quantitatively, 10 wt%CuBi2O4/LDH sample exhibited the most performed visible-light driven photocatalytic activity on bisphenol A (84 %, 240 min), with a reaction rate constant over 4.7 and 2.5 times higher than that of pristine LDH and CuBi2O4. The enhanced photocatalytic and stability can be attributed to the mechanochemical distribution of CuBi2O4 upon LDH matrix and the simultaneous fabrication of built-in electric field triggered by the p-n heterogeneous junction, which may facilitate the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. After four cycles, neither the functional activity nor the chemical properties of the materials show significant change, confirming the considerable reusability and stability. The investigation on mechanism proved the decisive roles of·OH during the photocatalytic process.

Surfactants assisted synthesis of CuAl-sodium dodecyl sulfate layered double hydroxide and its adsorptive removal of methyl red dye from aqueous solution

The versatile nature of layered double hydroxide (LDH) has made it the most widely used potential adsorbent for the decontamination of azo dye-polluted wastewater. Recently, the assembling of organic molecules on LDH structure to improve its physicochemical characteristics is given more attention by researchers. In this present work, the adsorption property of the CuAl-LDH was enhanced by modification with anionic surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate and the synthesized materials were applied for the examination of methyl red removal from its aqueous solution. Both the pristine and surfactants modified LDH were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brauner-Emmet-Teller surface area, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, scanning emission microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The obtained experimental data were analyzed by different isotherm and kinetics models and it shows higher degree of coefficient correlation with Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. However, the study of thermodynamic parameters reveals that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic in nature for both the adsorbents. The adsorption efficiency of surfactant fabricated CuAl/SDS-LDH was increased compared to pristine LDH and the maximum monolayer adsorption capacity qmax (mg g−1) for CuAl-LDH and CuAl/SDS-LDH were 209.9 mg g−1 and 411.47 mg g−1, respectively. The reusability of the materials indicates impressive results and can be repeated for up to four cycles. The synthesized sorbents CuAl-LDH and CuAl/SDS-LDH can significantly remove the target organic pollutant over a broad range of dye concentrations.

Ultrasound-assisted photocatalytic decomposition of rifadin with biochar and CNT-based NiCr layered double hydroxides

Modification of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) is known to be beneficial for boosting the consistent formation of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and enhancing the photocatalytic process. Herein, a facile synthesis method for preparing carbon nanotube (CNT) and biochar (BC)-based NiCr LDH (NC) nanocomposites as a sonophotocatalyst for the efficient degradation of rifadin (RA) was provided. The formation of thin nanosheet structures of NC along with porous and nanotube structures of BC and CNT was well approved by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The bandgaps of the nanocomposites and pristine LDH are determined by differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) analysis. Results unveiled that sonophotocatalysis presented high efficacy in comparison with sonocatalysis and photocatalysis. Under optimized conditions, a 15 mg L−1 of RA at pH 8 treated with 1 g L−1 of NiCr LDH/BC (NC/BC) demonstrated 80.3% sonophotocatalytic degradation during 90 min. To shed light on the durability and stability of NC/BC, four consecutive cycles were operated. The chemical structure and surface morphology of the reused catalyst were stable, revealed by SEM and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses. It is deduced that NC/BC is an advantageous sonophotocatalyst for the decomposition of emerging pharmaceuticals.

Modification of pristine layered double hydroxide to form metal oxide composites as an anionic dye photodegradation catalysts

Pristine layered double hydroxide (LDH) in the form of clay Mg/Al LDH was enhanced its catalytic ability by impregnating metal oxides to form Mg/Al-metal oxide composites in congo red (CR) degradation. The composite was calcined at a not high temperature of 300 oC and characterized using SEM and DRUV. In this report, the photodegradation of CR as anionic dye was optimized based on the variables of pH, catalyst weight and time radiation. The stability of the catalyst was studied from the percent degradation in the recycling test. The characterization of the catalyst that has undergone 5th regeneration cycles was carried out using XRD and FTIR. The results of this study revealed that catalysis by Mg/Al-metal oxide composites resulted in a better percent degradation, rate constant and materials stability than pristine Mg/Al LDH. Mg/Al LDH, Mg/Al-TiO2 and Mg/Al-ZnO catalyzed the photodegradation of CR by 65.97%, 73.06 % and 86.86%, respectively.

Microwave-assisted growth of spherical core-shell NiFe LDH@CuxO nanostructures for electrocatalytic water oxidation reaction

The high energy demand for electrochemical water splitting arises from sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics. In this regard, Layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been introduced as an outstanding catalyst for the OER due to its exceptional physiochemical and 2D infrastructure properties. Herein, we report the design and synthesiss of core-shell nanostructured electrocatalyst by rationally decorating vertically oriented NiFe LDH ultrathin nanosheets on CuxO support (NiFe LDH@CuxO) via microwave-assisted hydrothermal reaction. For OER, the NiFe LDH@CuxO core-shell nanostructured catalyst demonstrated promising electrocatalytic performance, requiring only 1.43 V onset potential and 270 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm−2. The NiFe LDH@CuxO also outperformed pristine NiFe LDH and iridium oxide (IrO2) in terms of electrocatalytic activity, durability, and Faradaic efficiency. The fabricated NiFe-LDH@CuxO electrocatalyst with outer shell NiFe-LDH ultrathin nanosheets provides numerous exposed active sites, benefits electrolyte diffusion and oxygen gas releasing and also reduces the interfacial charge transfer resistance to enhance OER activity. Furthermore, exclusive core-shell 3D infra-structure effectively prevents NiFe-LDH nanosheets agglomeration and restacking, enhancing electrochemical stability.

Effect of plasmonic metal (Cu, Ag, and Au) loading over the physicochemical and photocatalytic properties of Mg-Al LDH towards degradation of tetracycline under LED light

This work focused on the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of solvothermal synthesized Mg0.667 Al0.333 (OH)2 (CO3)0.167 (H2O)0.5 layered double hydroxide (LDH) by plasmonic metal (Cu, Ag, and Au) photodeposition (1-3 wt%). HRTEM analysis confirmed the successful loading of plasmonic nanoparticles with varying sizes (Au (∼4–25 nm) > Ag (∼3–12 nm) > Cu (∼2–7 nm)) on the surface of LDH. The effect of different plasmonic metals and their size on the surface structural, optical, electrokinetic, and photocatalytic properties of LDH was investigated. The prepared catalysts were evaluated for the degradation of tetracycline under LED irradiation for 140 min and the photoactivity trend followed the order: pristine LDH < Cu@LDH < Ag@LDH < Au@LDH. The LC-MS studies revealed that the degradation occurred by the attack of various reactive species (O2.-, h+, OḢ) via four paths mainly including hydroxylation, functional group cleavage, and ring-opening reaction. A possible mechanism was proposed for the appreciable enhancement in performance caused by the formation of Schottky barriers and surface plasmon resonance of plasmonic nanoparticles. The results of total organic carbon (TOC) indicated the acceptable mineralization of about 84 %. Less than a 10 % fall in degradation efficiency was observed within four recycle runs.

Multi-core@Shell catalyst derived from LDH@SiO2 for low- temperature dry reforming of methane

In this paper, a multi-core@shell catalyst LDH@SiO2 was fabricated by coating a silica layer over hexagonal Ni–Mg–Al LDH nanoplates. After calcination and H2-reduction, Ni nanoparticles were well dispersed on the support, as well as encapsulated within the mesoporous silica shell. The multi-core@shell catalyst was then tested in low temperature dry reforming of methane (DRM) at 600 °C and showed a stable CH4 conversion of 27% for 16 h time on stream. Characterizations of the spent catalyst indicated that there was almost no carbon formation and the multi-core@shell structure was well preserved. While the pristine layered double hydroxide (LDH) catalyst exhibited a severe carbon formation as 68%. The confinement effect conveyed by the unique multi-core@shell structure effectively suppressed metal sintering and carbon deposition. Besides, the thickness of the silica shell was tuned and it made a great difference to the catalytic activity due to the diffusion resistance.

Zaltoprofen-layered double hydroxide hybrids to enhance zaltoprofen solubility and dissolution rate

The zaltoprofen-LDH hybrid was successfully synthesized by coprecipitation method, and its dissolution profile and solubility in different fluids, that simulate the gastro-intestinal environment, were investigated. The zaltoprofen-LDH hybrid stoichiometry was determined by EDS and TGA, and the Zn0.70Al0.30(OH)2Z0.30·0.76H2O chemical formula was obtained, which well compares to the Zn/Al molar ratio of the pristine LDH (nitrate-LDH hybrid: Zn0.73Al0.27(OH)2(NO3)0.27·0.44H2O), synthesized to prepare the zaltoprofen-LDH physical mixture for the dissolution tests. The XRPD results confirmed the successful insertion of the zaltoprofen in the interlayer space of the LDH structure: the 003 reflection, detected at d-value of 8.7 Å in the pristine LDH, was observed at d-value of 21.8 Å, and the drug occupied a gallery of about 17 Å. Based on the zaltoprofen size (9.9 × 4.9 Å), a drug arrangement in which the molecules form a monolayer of partially superimposed drug anions into the brucite-like layer is suggested. The DSC peak due to the melting process of the pure zaltoprofen was not observed in the zaltoprofen-LDH hybrid, thus indicating the loss of the long-range structural order in the active principle. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed that the zaltoprofen entered the host structure in the anionic form (COO−). Deep insights in the drug-LDH interaction were obtained by 13C and 27Al solid state NMR: the zaltoprofen molecules strongly interacted with the LDH layers involving the COO- and the OH moieties respectively, while the packing of the drug molecules in the layers was comparable to the conformation of the pure zaltoprofen crystals. The zaltoprofen anion insertion caused local structural changes within the host crystal structure. The solubility and dissolution tests, performed on the synthesized hybrid and compared to the pure zaltoprofen and zaltoprofen-LDH physical mixture, demonstrated enhanced solubility and dissolution rate of the drug in the hybrid system.

Highly-interspersed biomass-derived carbon quantum dots onto floral CoAl-LDH for significantly enhanced CO2 photoreduction into CO and CH4

Stimulating photocatalytic activity of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been being as a research hotspot in photocatalysis. Quantum dots doping is a well acknowledged strategy to utilize their photoelectric superiorities to overcome the intrinsic defects of pristine LDHs. In this work, waste biomass-derived carbon quantum dots (B-CQDs)-interspersed CoAl-LDH photocatalysts (B/CALs) are successfully prepared by means of a simple hydrothermal method from green and renewable points of view. The introduction of B-CQDs significantly broadens the light absorption range and capacity of CoAl-LDH. As the terminal electron acceptor, the highly-dispersed B-CQDs can effectively prolong the lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers and promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. No assistance from any sacrificial agent, the optimal sample of B/CAL-2 exhibits significantly enhanced photoreduction activity of CO2-to-CO and CH4, 6.4- and 7.5-fold higher than those of the pristine CoAl-LDH, respectively, and also surpassing many reported high-level LDHs counterparts. Such an uncomplicated case guides a green and feasible route to modify semiconductor materials with renewable biomass, which is expected to be applied to others for enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Influence of the aggregated structures of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles on the degradation behavior of poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) composites

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (LDH-SDS) and stearic acid (LDH-SA) were added into the poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) matrix for the preparation of PBAT/LDH nanocomposite films. In the matrix, pristine LDH, LDH-SDS, and LDH-SA were present in the form of aggregated nanoparticles, intercalated, and exfoliated layers, respectively. In comparison with pristine LDH, the intercalated and exfoliated LDH exhibited better dispersibility in PBAT and greater capacity to promote the mechanical properties and crystallization performance of PBAT. More importantly, in the hydrolysis degradation experiment, the degradation behaviors were significantly affected by hydrophilic nature of modified LDH and its organic–inorganic interfaces caused by various aggregated state structures. Thus, an important method of tuned the degradation behaviors of PBAT films by adjusting the aggregated structures of LDH was established.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Malachite Green by Layered Double Hydroxide Based Composites

Studies of LDH materials to be applied as photocatalyst for dye pollutant degradation have been developed. These interesting efforts are inseparable from the investigation of degradation performance and competitive synthetic methods. Composites based on Zn/Al and Mg/Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with ZnO and TiO2 were prepared by coprecipitation-impregnation method following by calcination at 300 °C to forms Zn/Al-ZnO, Mg/Al-ZnO, Zn/Al-TiO2, and Mg/Al-TiO2. Composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM and UV-DRS. Photodegradation of malachite green (MG) was carried out, after optimization of pH, catalyst loading and contact time in batch system under UV irradiation. XRD and spectroscopic data shows composites were successfully formed indicated by formation of both pristine materials. Degradation of malachite green showed that composites as photocatalyst have higher catalytic activity than pristine LDHs. LDH-ZnO composite have better activity, energy band gap and degradation reusability than LDH-TiO2. The Zn/Al-ZnO and Zn/Al-TiO2 composites degraded 97.1% and 96.3% MG, whereas the Mg/Al-ZnO and Mg/Al-TiO2 composites were able to degrade 99.8% and 98.6% MG, respectively. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Trends in Layered Double Hydroxides‐Based Advanced Nanocomposites: Recent Progress and Latest Advancements

AbstractRecently, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have gathered vast interest due to overall positive charge, unique crystallinity, and biocompatibility for diverse applications. Despite the advantageous attributes, these hydrotalcites often result in several limitations concerning the application requirements, such as aggregation, as well as poor chemical and thermal stabilities, hindering their scale‐up progress and practical utilization. In addressing these issues, the recent advancements in the fabrication of intelligent LDHs nanocomposites based on organically (polymer/polyelectrolyte)‐modified and inorganic (metal)‐composited architectures are systematically presented. Initially, a brief note on the shortcomings in various fields and the chemistry of these pristine LDHs is given. Then, various synthetic strategies used to fabricate these emerging LDH nanocomposites are comprehensively emphasized, focusing on the advancements in their structure and applicability. In addition, the effects of various attractive physicochemical attributes of LDHs and their nanocomposite forms are discussed, including their applicability in adsorption, biomedicine, catalysis, energy, and environment‐related applications. In summary, this article is concluded with an outlook concerning the positioning of LDH‐based nanocomposites compared to other innovative materials, as well as the current challenges and future requirements for scale‐up.

Understanding the photothermal contribution to electrocatalysis: A case study of carbon supported NiFe layered double hydroxide

External field assisted water splitting, as a sustainable and highly-efficient route to achieving hydrogen production, has recently attracted a considerable attention in the renewable energy research field. In particular, electrocatalysts with superior light absorption ability is likely to show an excellent electrocatalytic performance under light irradiation. Herein, a composite consisting of NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) and carbon is prepared as an electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Compared to the pristine NiFe LDH,carbon supported NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe LDH@C) composite exhibits an enhanced light harvesting under light irradiation, not only increasing the local temperature of electrocatalyst but also lowering the charge transfer resistance during the OER reaction process. Consequently, the photothermal effect enables NiFe LDH@C composite to facilitate the charge transport and accelerate the reaction kinetics, thereby showing an improved OER performance in comparison to neat NiFe LDH. This work offers a new vision toward the rational design of advanced electrocatalyst for solar-assisted water electrolysis application.