Expandable Layered Hybrid Materials Based on Individual 1D Metalorganic Nanoribbons

Abstract

Different metalorganic lamellar hybrid materials based on associated nanoribbons were synthesized by the use of alkyl–benzyl monocarboxylate spacers, containing alkyl tails with variable lengths, which acted like structural growing inhibitors. These molecular agents were perpendicularly located and coordinated to aluminium nodes in the interlayer space, controlling the separation between individual structure sub-units. The hybrid materials were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical and thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared spectroscopy (IR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM)/transmission electron microscopy (TEM), showing their physicochemical properties. The specific capacity of the metalorganic materials to be exfoliated through post-synthesis treatments, using several solvents due to the presence of 1D structure sub-units and a marked hydrophobic nature, was also evidenced.