Retention of heavy metals on layered double hydroxides thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 302; pp. 99 - 104
• Main Authors: Vlad, A., Birjega, R., Matei, A., Luculescu, C., Mitu, B., Dinescu, M., Zavoianu, R., Pavel, O.D.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.05.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Heavy metals uptake; Physics; Pulsed laser; Thin films; Thin films; Pulsed laser; Heavy metals uptake; Pulsed laser deposition; Pulsed lasers; Double layers; Film growth
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.10.181

•Pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD) can successfully be used to produce Mg-Al LDH thin films with different Mg/Al atomic ratio.•We demonstrated the ability of the Mg-Al based thin films to retain Ni and Co from aqueous solution via two processes: the substitution of Mg2+ with Ni2+, or Co2+ through a diadochy process and through a reconstruction process (“memory effect”).•The uptake of Ni and Co occurs even for extremely short times of immersion. Heavy metals are toxic and hazardous pollutants in the environment due to their nonbiodegradability and persistence, which can pose serious threats to living organisms. The ability of Mg–Al based layered double hydroxides (LDHs) thin films to retain heavy metals from aqueous solutions at different concentrations is a novel topic with prospects of attractive applications, such as detection of heavy metals. We report on the ability of a series of Mg–Al based layered double hydroxides thin films to detect Ni and Co cations in aqueous solutions. Uptake of heavy metals ions such as Ni2+, Co2+ from aqueous solutions was studied as function of contact time at a standard metal ion concentration. The LDHs thin films were deposited using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The different adsorption mechanisms were studied in connection with different heavy metals used as probe cations. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy were the techniques used for the investigation of as deposited and after heavy metals retention thin films.