Mechanochemical synthesis of a hydroxycarbonate form of layered magnesium aluminum hydroxides

Mechanical activation of a mixture of magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate in an AGO-2 planetary mill, followed by water washing leads to the formation of a layered magnesium aluminum hydroxide. The double hydroxide obtained at a magnesium hydroxide to aluminum hydroxide ratio of 3:1 is essentially phase-pure and contains both carbonate and bicarbonate ions in its interlayer spaces. The synthesized double hydroxide was characterized by x-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and chemical analysis.