Synthesis of colloidal nanocrystals of magnesium layered hydroxide salt and their application as nonwoven fabric materials

We demonstrate the synthesis of dispersions of magnesium layered-hydroxide-salt (LHS) nanocrystals as promising degradable and potentially biocompatible materials. Sub-10 nm magnesium LHS nanocrystals were successfully synthesized through the alkalization reaction using propylene oxide in the presence of acrylic acid (AA) as an aggregation inhibitor. At the optimized compositions of AA/Mg = 2.0, transparent dispersion of nanometric magnesium LHS formed with intercalating AA. The obtained magnesium LHS nanocrystals were mixed with poly(sodium γ-glutamate) (γ-PGA-Na), and the capability of producing fiber materials was investigated using the electrospinning method. It was found that the interaction between γ-PGA-Na and magnesium LHS nanocrystals enabled the material to be processed into fibrous structures. • Sub-10 nm magnesium layered-hydroxide-salt nanocrystals were successfully synthesized. • The particles can be dispersed in the solvent at a high concentration. • The capability of producing fiber materials was demonstrated using the electrospinning method.