We have found that X-ray diffraction peaks of clay-organic hybrid films were narrowed after swelling followed by removing of solvent. We fabricated hybrid films consisting of natural montmorillonite (Mont), synthetic saponite (SSA) or synthetic stevensite (SST) and a cationic organic molecule. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 001 reflection of as-prepared Mont hybrid was 1.58 2θ degree whereas that after swelling and solvent removing procedure was 0.84 2θ degree. This decreasing of FWHM indicated that the improvement of packing order of clay particles in clay-organic hybrid was occurred during swelling and solvent removing procedure. Similar decreasing of FWHM was also found in hybrids consisting of SSA or SST. Improvement of packing order of hybrid was found to accompany suppression of light scattering of hybrid at the same time.
Thin solid films of well-crystallized layered double hydroxides (LDHs) containing anionic fluorescein dye (AFD) and 1-butanesulfonate (C_4S) were prepared. Well-crystallized LDH thin solid films were first synthesized by immersing glass substrates into a nitrate-type LDH aqueous suspension prepared using a hydrothermal method. The LDH/AFD/C_4S hybrid thin solid films were then prepared by immersing the well-crystallized LDH thin solid films in aqueous solutions of AFD and C4S. Notably, the level of AFD hybridization was readily controlled by varying the concentration of the AFD in the aqueous solution (the C4S concentration was held constant at 800 or 2000% of the anion exchangeable sites in the LDH). The prepared LDH/AFD/C_4S hybrid thin solid films exhibited remarkable photoluminescence properties under UV light irradiation that responded to changes in humidity.
The mineralogical, morphological, physical and chemical properties of four different Turkish sepiolites were compared in this study. The mineral matter in the sepiolites, determined by means of X-ray diffraction, is dominated mainly by quartz and dolomite. Sepiolite was identified with the highest degree of crystallization at the peaks from 12.25 to 12.34 Å. All the sepiolite samples show low-calcium content. Based on size distribution results of all the samples, average grain size varies between 0.143 mm and 0.180 mm. SEM and TEM images results show fibrous morphologies.