Functionalization of Mg/Al Hydrotalcite with Ascorbic Acid for Gold Nanoparticles Synthesis

Adsorption of gold from a solution in the form of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is a challenging approach. In this paper, Mg/Al hydrotalcite (Mg/Al HT) was functionalized with ascorbic acid (Mg/Al HT-AA) and applied to adsorb and reduce Au3+ to Au0. The anion exchange method was observed as a recommended way to immobilize and intercalate ascorbic acid to Mg/Al HT. Based on the TEM image, the formation of AuNPs was confirmed with the average diameter 16.3 nm. These findings suggest that Mg/Al HT-AA has a good potential as multifunctional adsorbent that can recover gold in solution and simultaneously turn it into gold nanoparticles.