Novel Strategy for Producing Nanoplatelets to be Used as Building Blocks for Shaping Nanofibers through Layered Double Hydroxides and Poly Vinyl Alcohol

Abstract

It is known that the layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have grown in the nano scale. However, their morphologies are platelets in the micro scale. In order to be more applicable for designing nano-devices, the present research promotes the growth process of LDHs not only to produce nanoplatelets using the chains of poly vinyl alcohol but also to use them as building blocks for forming nanofibers. In presence of poly vinyl alcohol, Zn-Al LDHs were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and Infrared spectra. SEM and TEM images showed that the prepared Zn-Al-PVA LDHs have nanofibers shape. HRTEM images revealed nanoplatelets with dimension lower than 10 nm around the fibers. By thermal treatment, the layered structure of the nanoplatelets disappeared and the nanocomposites of aluminum zinc oxides were grown in shape of nanofibers. The optical properties and the photo activities of the prepared nanoplatelets and nanofibers were examined and compared with their counterpart nanoparticles through photocatalytic degradation of colored dyes. The experimental results showed that the nanofibers were very active for photocatalytic degradation of green dyes. Finally, this study concluded that polymer chains could be used as seeds for growing nanoplatelets, which acted as building blocks in the nano scale to form active nanofibers for environmental applications. Also, this approach will be useful for building nanodevices.