Layered Double Hydroxide Based Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Sensing Application

Abstract

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) belong to the group of anionic clay. They consist of a layered structure with a positively charged metal hydroxide layers intercalated with anions, making them suitable for various fields, including catalysis, environmental remediation, and biomedical applications. They have been used in different analytical applications due to their various properties, like ion-exchangeability, adsorption quality, intercalation, and structural amenability. Due to their intrinsic electrocatalytic characteristics, LDHs have been widely investigated in catalysis, resulting in a wide range of electrochemical applications. The recent improvement in the production of innovative nanocomposites comprising 2D materials, metallic and metal oxide nanomaterials, and carbonaceous nanomaterials is largely responsible for the advancements in sensing technologies and has paved the way for low-cost, sensitive, and efficient electrochemical sensors. The electrocatalytic property of LDHs is mainly due to their p-type semiconductive channels. These channels are created by highly organized alternate configurations of divalent and trivalent metal cations in the host layers, as well as charged complimentary anions. As a result, a fractional charge transfer between LDH and the interface of guest molecules would improve catalytic ability. However, with the use of high-conductivity materials, such as carbon-based materials along with LDHs, the electrochemical behaviors, such as electron transfer rate, electrochemical potential window, redox behavior, and so on, can be qualitatively improved. newlineThis thesis comprises the synthesis and characterization of Mg-Al and Ni-Al LDHs and their modifications using carbon nanomaterials such as carbon quantum dots and graphene oxide, and metal and metal oxide nanomaterials such as Ag nanoparticles and magnetic Feand#8322;Oand#8323; nanoparticles. These LDH nanocomposites were structurally and morphologically investigated, and their influence on the electrochemical sensing properties was studied.