RL-LDH was synthesized by the delamination/reassembling process.
RL-LDH had higher adsorption for p-cresol and Cu2+ than LDH.
The mechanism for p-cresol removal is due to the hydrophobic interaction.
The mechanism for Cu2+ removal is mainly attributed to the complexation of Cu2+ with RL− anions.
This provides a new approach to fabricate eco-friendly high performance adsorbent.