Morphology Transformation of Nanoscale Magnesium Hydroxide: from Nanosheets to Nanodisks

Nanoscale Mg(OH) 2 with different morphologies, from nanosheets, nanosquares, and nanodisks, have been successfully synthesized via a simple hydrothermal reaction of Mg(CH 3 COO) 2 and sodium hydroxide in the presence of citrate. Direct observation of transformation from nanosheets to nanodisks indicates clearly the growth of a Mg(OH) 2 nanocrystal. The structure and morphology of the resultant Mg(OH) 2 nanostructures were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction patterns (SAED). A possible formation mechanism of the Mg(OH) 2 nanostructures is proposed based on the oriented aggregation mechanism.