One-step exfoliation of kaolinites and their transformation into nanoscrolls

Flexible Mesopores in Nanoscrolls: Extraordinarily Large Alteration of Pore Sizes and Their Reversibility

Flexible porous materials have gained considerable interest for their potential applications in selective absorption and controlled release/storage of specific molecules or compounds. Here, nanoscrolls are proposed as a type of inorganic solids with reversibly flexible mesopores. Nanoscrolls exhibit a rolled-up structure composed of nanosheets with a 1D rod-like morphology, possessing two distinct nanospaces. The first space comprises 1D tubular mesopores located at the center of the rod, while the second space exists in the interlayer regions on the wall of the mesopore, resulting from the layer stacking caused by the scrolling of nanosheets. By replacing the interlayer cations on the nanoscroll walls with other cations, a drastic alteration in the size of the 1D mesopores is observed. For instance, exchanging bulky dodecylammonium cations with small NH4 + cations leads to a substantial change in pore size, with differences ranging from 10 to 20 nm-a notably larger variation compared to previous reports on flexible porous materials. Importantly, the alteration of pore size induced by the exchange reaction is found to be reversible. This reversible alteration in pore size holds promise for applications in host-guest chemistry involving large moieties such as nanoparticles and enzymes.

Earth-Abundant Kaolinite Nanoplatelet Gel Electrolytes for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are the leading energy storage technology for portable electronics and vehicle electrification. However, demands for enhanced energy density, safety, and scalability necessitate solid-state alternatives to traditional liquid electrolytes. Moreover, the rapidly increasing utilization of lithium-ion batteries further requires that next-generation electrolytes are derived from earth-abundant raw materials in order to minimize supply chain and environmental concerns. Toward these ends, clay-based nanocomposite electrolytes hold significant promise since they utilize earth-abundant materials that possess superlative mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical stability, which suggests their compatibility with energy-dense lithium metal anodes. Despite these advantages, nanocomposite electrolytes rarely employ kaolinite, the most abundant variety of clay, due to strong interlayer interactions that have historically precluded efficient exfoliation of kaolinite. Overcoming this limitation, here we demonstrate a scalable liquid-phase exfoliation process that produces kaolinite nanoplatelets (KNPs) with high gravimetric surface area, thus enabling the formation of mechanically robust nanocomposites. In particular, KNPs are combined with a succinonitrile (SN) liquid electrolyte to form a nanocomposite gel electrolyte with high room-temperature ionic conductivity (1 mS cm-1), stiff storage modulus (>10 MPa), wide electrochemical stability window (4.5 V vs Li/Li+), and excellent thermal stability (>100 °C). The resulting KNP-SN nanocomposite gel electrolyte is shown to be suitable for high-rate rechargeable lithium metal batteries that employ high-voltage LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathodes. While the primary focus here is on solid-state batteries, our strategy for kaolinite liquid-phase exfoliation can serve as a scalable manufacturing platform for a wide variety of other kaolinite-based nanocomposite applications.

Deposition of silver nanoparticles on nanoscroll-supported inorganic solid using incompletely rolled-up kaolinite

Nanoscroll-supported platy particles were prepared by incomplete rolling-up of kaolinite layers; when the rolling-up of the kaolinite layer followed by its exfoliation incompletely proceeds, kaolinite nanoscrolls were found at the edge of kaolinite platy particles. To assess the support property of these nanoscroll-supported platy particles, when the deposition of Ag nanoparticles was conducted, these nanoparticles were present on the surface of platy particles and in the tubular interior of nanoscrolls at the edge of platy particles but absent on the surface of ordinal kaolinites, as revealed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. These results indicated the successful formation and support property of nanoscroll-supported platy particles.

Role of Impurities in Kaolinite Intercalation and Subsequent Formation of Nanoscrolls

Kaolinite (Kaol)-methanol (MeOH) compounds (Kaol-Me) are widely used as the starting materials for further intercalation. The conventional approach to prepare Kaol-Me compounds is to wash dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-intercalated Kaol (Kaol-DMSO) for 16 days, and MeOH must be refreshed every day. Herein, we report a new and much more efficient method to prepare Kaol-Me from Kaol-DMSO by the promotion of AlCl3 under mild conditions, and the corresponding mechanism is investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence characterization results reveal that the electric double layer resulting from the impurities absorbed on the kaolinite surface prevents weakly polar molecules from entering the kaolinite interlayers, which is probably the key reason that MeOH must be refreshed daily in the preparation of Kaol-Me compounds. After being treated with HCl to remove the impurities, Kaol-Me-HCl was successfully intercalated by cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and subsequently predominantly curled into nanoscrolls.

Layered Clay Minerals in Cancer Therapy: Recent Progress and Prospects

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases, and current treatment regimens suffer from limited efficacy, nonspecific toxicity, and chemoresistance. With the advantages of good biocompatibility, large specific surface area, excellent cation exchange capacity, and easy availability, clay minerals have been receiving ever-increasing interests in cancer treatment. They can act as carriers to reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and some of their own properties can kill cancer cells, etc. Compared with other morphologies clays, layered clay minerals (LCM) have attracted more and more attention due to adjustable interlayer spacing, easier ion exchange, and stronger adsorption capacity. In this review, the structure, classification, physicochemical properties, and functionalization methods of LCM are summarized. The state-of-the-art progress of LCM in antitumor therapy is systematically described, with emphasis on the application of montmorillonite, kaolinite, and vermiculite. Furthermore, the property-function relationships of LCM are comprehensively illustrated to reveal the design principles of clay-based antitumor systems. Finally, foreseeable challenges and outlook in this field are discussed.

Rapid Synthesis of Kaolinite Nanoscrolls through Microwave Processing

Kaolinite nanoscrolls (NScs) are halloysite-like nanotubular structures of great interest due to their ability to superimpose halloysite's properties and applicability. Especially attractive is the ability of these NScs to serve as reaction vessels for the uptake and conversion of different chemical species. The synthesis of kaolinite NScs, however, is demanding due to the various processing steps that lead to extended reaction times. Generally, three intercalation stages are involved in the synthesis, where the second step of methylation dominates others in terms of duration. The present research shows that introducing microwave processing throughout the various steps can simplify the procedure overall and reduce the synthesis period to less than a day (14 h). The kaolinite nanoscrolls were obtained using two final intercalating agents, aminopropyl trimethoxy silane (APTMS) and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). Both produce abundant NScs, as corroborated by microscopy measurements as well as the surface area of the final products; APTMS intercalated NScs were 63.34 m²/g, and CTAC intercalated NScs were 73.14 m²/g. The nanoscrolls averaged about 1 μm in length with outer diameters of APTMS and CTAC intercalated samples of 37.3 ± 8.8 nm and 24.9 ± 6.1 nm, respectively. The availability of methods for the rapid production of kaolinite nanoscrolls will lead to greater utility of these materials in technologically significant applications.

Regioselective Approach to Characterizing Increased Edge Availability in Layered Crystal Materials following Layer Expansion: Reaction of Kaolinite with Octadecyltrimethylammonium Salts

In this paper, the regioselective reactions of kaolinite and methoxy-modified kaolinite (MeO-Kaol), methanol-expanded kaolinite, with octadecyltrimethylammonium salts are compared. This study mainly concerns the reactions of kaolinite or MeO-Kaol with octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C18TAC) in methanol and the subsequent exhaustive washing of the resultant products with ethanol. X-ray diffraction patterns of the products reveal no intercalation of C18TAC between pristine kaolinite layers. Additionally, intercalation and subsequent deintercalation of C18TAC proceed in the product using MeO-Kaol. In the Fourier-transform infrared spectra, the intensities of CH2 stretching bands of the product prepared using MeO-Kaol drastically increase compared to those using kaolinite. In addition, CH2 stretching bands of the product using kaolinite are hardly observed without enlarging the spectrum. The product using MeO-Kaol also displays mass loss in the range of 200-300 °C in the thermogravimetric curve and a nitrogen content with 0.15 mass% estimated using the CHN analysis. These results therefore demonstrate an increase in the available reactive edges in the layered crystal material following an expansion of the stacked layers.

Effects of kaolinite layer expansion and impurities on the solid-state reaction of kaolinite

Expanded kaolinite without impurities was found to serve as a suitable raw material for the rapid formation of metastable CaAl₂Si₂O₈ with the suppression of byproduct formation. This was accomplished based on the solid-state reaction of the kaolinite with calcium carbonate promoted by mechanical grinding.

Robust hemostatic bandages based on nanoclay electrospun membranes

Death from acute hemorrhage is a major problem in military conflicts, traffic accidents, and surgical procedures, et al. Achieving rapid effective hemostasis for pre-hospital care is essential to save lives in massive bleeding. An ideal hemostasis material should have those features such as safe, efficient, convenient, economical, which remains challenging and most of them cannot be achieved at the same time. In this work, we report a rapid effective nanoclay-based hemostatic membranes with nanoclay particles incorporate into polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) electrospun fibers. The nanoclay electrospun membrane (NEM) with 60 wt% kaolinite (KEM1.5) shows better and faster hemostatic performance in vitro and in vivo with good biocompatibility compared with most other NEMs and clay-based hemostats, benefiting from its enriched hemostatic functional sites, robust fluffy framework, and hydrophilic surface. The robust hemostatic bandages based on nanoclay electrospun membrane is an effective candidate hemostat in practical application.

Rapid, easy and effective haemostasis is needed to reduce the loss of life from traumatic haemorrhage. Here, the authors report on the creation of polymer-nanoclay electrospun membranes and demonstrate haemostatic effects showing superior effects to other clay based haemostats.

Comparative study on intercalation-exfoliation and thermal activation modified kaolin for heavy metals immobilization during high-organic solid waste pyrolysis

With the new municipal solid waste classification policy implemented in China, attention on achieving the waste-to-energy disposal of "dry waste" has been growing. Pyrolysis conversion of organic waste into value-added chemicals is a promising method to treat solid waste. However, after removing the non-combustible components of "dry waste", the obtained high-organic solid waste (HSW) contains various heavy metals, which requires urgent attention during thermochemical conversion. To mitigate heavy metals risk, kaolin was employed as additive during HSW pyrolysis, and intercalation-exfoliation and thermal activation modifications were performed on the kaolin to further immobilize and stabilize heavy metals in the derived chars. The characterization results illustrated that the interlayer spacing, pore volume and diameter of kaolin were expanded after intercalation-exfoliation modification, providing more opportunities for the adsorption of metals. The thermal activation method favored the transformation of kaolin into metakaolin via dehydroxylation to enhance its nonhexacoordinated Al proportion and chemisorption. During 450-650 °C, kaolin exhibited an effective solid enrichment performance for targeting heavy metals, and the intercalation-exfoliation and thermal activation modification further enhanced the adsorption capacity of the kaolin for Cd, Cr, Pb and Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, respectively. Compared with Cu and Zn, additives demonstrated better stabilization effects for Cd, Pb, and Cr, transforming more bioavailable fractions to the residual speciation. Overall, a higher pyrolytic temperature (650 °C) and the addition of effective additives could simultaneously increase the residual fraction and decrease the bioavailable fraction of heavy metals in HSW-derived chars, reducing the potential ecological risk.

Expansion of orderly stacked metakaolinite layers and order destruction using a kaolinite-tetraphenylphosphonium chloride intercalation compound

The expansion of metakaolinite layers with stacking order and the order destruction were examined by the heat treatment of a kaolinite-tetraphenylphosphonium chloride intercalation compound (Kaol-TPhPCl) at 540 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere followed by the manual grinding of the product using a mortar and a pestle. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and solid-state ²⁷Al nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with magic angle spinning revealed the kaolinite dehydroxylation. Moreover, the absence of kaolinite diffraction lines and the appearance of the 1.85 nm diffraction line in the X-ray diffraction pattern, together with the observation of the hexagonal plate-like morphology in the field-emission scanning electron microscopy, indicated the kaolinite amorphization with the orderly-stacked layers. These results, along with the disappearance of the 1.85 nm diffraction line upon the manual grinding of heat-treated Kaol-TPhPCl, clearly indicated the formation of expanded metakaolinite layers with stacking order and the subsequent order destruction by manual grinding.

Metakaolinite layers were expanded via the heat treatment of a kaolinite-tetraphenylphosphonium chloride intercalation compound and the obtained metakaolinite stacking order was destroyed upon manual grinding.

An efficient method to prepare aluminosilicate nanoscrolls under mild conditions

The conventional approach to exfoliate kaolinite to form aluminosilicate nanoscrolls is very time-consuming. Herein, we report a novel method to prepare aluminosilicate nanoscrolls from kaolinite by catalysis of AlCl3 under mild conditions. This method is highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and can be easily scaled up for mass production.

Surface grafting of fluorescent polymers on halloysite nanotubes through metal-free light-induced controlled polymerization: Preparation, characterization and biological imaging

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are a kind of aluminosilicate clay with a unique hollow tubular structure that has been intensively explored for various applications especially in biomedical fields owing to their excellent biocompatibility, biodegrading potential and low cost. Surface modification of HNTs with functional polymers will greatly improve their properties and endow new functions for biomedical applications. In this work, a light-induced reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was introduced to successfully prepare HNTs based fluorescent HNTs/poly(PEGMA-Fl) composites in the presence of oxygen using diacrylate-fluorescein and poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) as the monomers. Without other catalysts, heating, and deoxygenation procedure, the polymerization process can take place under mild conditions. Besides, owing to the introduction of fluorescein and PEGMA on the surface of HNTs, the resultant HNTs/poly(PEGMA-Fl) composites display high water dispersibility and stable fluorescence. The results from cell viability examination and confocal laser scanning microscopy also demonstrated that HNTs/poly(PEGMA-Fl) composites could be internalized by L929 cells with bright fluorescence and low cytotoxicity. Taken together, we developed a novel photo-initiated RAFT polymerization method for the fabrication of HNTs based fluorescent polymeric composites with great potential for biomedical applications. More importantly, many other multifunctional HNTs based polymer composites could also be fabricated through a similar strategy owing to good designability of RAFT polymerization.

Synthesis and assessment of CTAB and NPE modified organo-montmorillonite for the fabrication of organo-montmorillonite/alginate based hydrophobic pharmaceutical controlled-release formulation

The research goal of the present study was to develop a carrier for loading and controlled -release of the hydrophobic drug with the combined use of organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) and alginate. The OMMT was synthesized through the intercalation modification of sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMT) with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), nonionic nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (NPE) and the mixture of them via simple and convenient wet ball-milling method. Furthermore, the organo-montmorillonite/alginate (OMMT/Alg) composite hydrogel beads with slow and controlled release properties were constructed by using alginate as a coating material under the exogenous cross-linking of calcium ions. The physical and chemical properties of OMMT were comparatively evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), BET-specific surface area measurements, and drug adsorption experiments. Experimental results showed that the presence of CTAB was able to facilitate the intercalation of CTAB/NPE into Na-MMT through the cation exchange reaction. And the cationic CTAB and nonionic NPE were adsorbed or intercalated into the MMT lamellar structure through the wet ball-milling process, which could change the hydrophilic nature of Na-MMT and improve its affinity to the hydrophobic drug molecules. In addition, the OMMT/Alg composite hydrogel beads displayed superior sustained-release properties than Na-MMT/Alg, mainly ascribed to the good affinity of OMMT to hydrophobic drug that retarded the drug diffusion. In particular, CTA/NPE-MMT/Alg with the highest loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) revealed the optimal controlled performance for the release of hydrophobic ibuprofen. The release followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas model suggested non-Fickian diffusion release mechanism. Based on the high drug loading capacity and excellent controlled drug release properties, the CTA/NPE-MMT/Alg incorporating hydrophobic drugs into hydrophilic matrices could be a highly promising material for use in hydrophobic drug delivery.

Functionalization-Induced Self-Assembly of Polystyrene/Kaolinite in Situ Nanocomposites into Giant Vesicles

We report a facile functionalization strategy for fabrication of giant, inorganic-polymer hybrid vesicles by controlled aminosilyl/vinylsilyl functionalization (AS/VS) of the aluminol layer in kaolinite (Kaol) by intercalation and subsequent polymerization of styrene with the in situ polystyrene clay nanocomposite (PCN), followed by self-assembly in solvents. The synergistic effect of the AS/VS ratio on functionalization-assisted intercalation of Kaol was established in 1:3AS/VS-Kaol by the greater extent of formation of higher interlayer spacing corresponding to 1.12 nm compared to 1:1AS/VS-Kaol. As the AS/VS ratio was increased, the PCN synthesized showed an increase in molecular weight attributed to higher vinyl functionalization of Kaol. The PCN, 1:3AS/VS-Kaol/PS, showed self-assembly in tetrahydrofuran at 2.5 mg mL-1 into giant vesicles of 2-6 μm diameter with a wall thickness of 300-400 nm. This result is attributed to the functionalization-induced molecular mass-directed bilayer assembly of the delaminated, Janus-type, modified Kaol in a polar aprotic solvent by end-to-end hydrogen bonding involving terminal -OH groups along the wall and -NH2 groups laterally and further stabilized by the π-π interactions of the phenyl moiety along the periphery. Rhodamine-loaded vesicles showed a controlled release in buffer solutions of pH 7.0 and 9.0, attributed to the amino group-assisted pore formation. In a buffer solution of pH 4.0, rapid release of the dye was observed because of the collapse of the vesicle directed by protonation of the amino group. This study forms the first report on a novel method for the synthesis of rigid vesicles by functionalization-induced self-assembly of Kaol-based in situ PCN for possible applications in the cost-effective controlled delivery of drugs or cosmetics for topical applications.

Effects of bleaching and functionalization of kaolinite on the mechanical and thermal properties of polyamide 6 nanocomposites

Polyamide 6 nanocomposites (PA6)/kaolinite were prepared by melt compounding. First, kaolinite was bleached via a solvothermal reaction using oxalic acid as a bleaching agent; then, the bleached product was modified using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and subsequently methanol (MeOH) via a displacement method. Thus, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and triethoxy(octyl)silane (TEOS) molecules were intercalated into kaolinite nano-platelets. Seven types of nanocomposites were prepared using pristine, bleached or intercalated kaolinite. The kaolinite powder and the nanocomposite specimens were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), whiteness index and tensile tests. The influence of the bleaching process of kaolinite and the intercalation methods on the whiteness index of the nanocomposites was also observed, in which the whiteness index of the functionalized kaolinite nanocomposites was enhanced by up to 10.65% when compared to neat PA6. The thermal results revealed that the intercalation and functionalization greatly affect the thermal stability of the virgin polymer. On the other hand, the intercalation of kaolinite enhances the dispersion/distribution, improves the interfacial adhesion, and increases the aspect ratio of the kaolinite nanoparticles; this affords remarkable nanocomposite property enhancements, represented by a high Young's modulus value of 4.68 GPa and a maximum percentage growth of 80.6% for silane-grafted kaolinite nanoparticles at just 8 wt%.

This study presents the effects of bleaching and functionalization of kaolinite on the mechanical and thermal properties and whiteness index of polyamide 6 nanocomposites prepared by melting compounding.

Preparation and Comparative Stability of a Kaolinite-Tetrabutylphosphonium Bromide Intercalation Compound for Heat and Solvent Treatments

A kaolinite-tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPBr) intercalation compound (Kaol-TBPBr) was prepared from kaolinite providing inorganic aluminosilicate layers and TBPBr as intercalated salts between the layers through the use of an intermediate, a kaolinite-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) intercalation compound (Kaol-DMSO). The experimental data through complementary techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solid-state ¹³C and ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with cross polarization and magic angle spinning, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry, and ion chromatography, indicate complete removal of DMSO and intercalation of TBPBr with an increase in the basal spacing from 1.12 nm (Kaol-DMSO) to 1.53 nm (Kaol-TBPBr). In contrast to a similar intercalation compound, a kaolinite-tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr) intercalation compound (Kaol-TBABr) with a basal spacing of 1.51 nm, Kaol-TBPBr displayed interesting features such as enhanced thermal stabilities as well as bold resistance against several solvents. Kaol-TBPBr withstood thermal decomposition of the organic species over 100 °C much better than Kaol-TBABr. When Kaol-TBPBr and Kaol-TBABr were refluxed in methanol, ethanol, acetone, or toluene for 1 day, Kaol-TBPBr preserved the expanded kaolinite layers, while the Kaol-TBABr structure completely collapsed due to the release of TBABr. Thus, with these particular and unique features of Kaol-TBPBr, organophosphonium salts appear to be promising guest species for intercalation chemistry of kaolinite.

Formation of silicate nanoscrolls through solvothermal treatment of layered octosilicate intercalated with organoammonium ions

We report silicate nanoscrolls composed of only SiO4 tetrahedra with crystalline walls for the first time in this study. The procedure consists of the intercalation of layered octosilicate with dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide ((C18)2DMABr) and the subsequent solvothermal treatment of the intercalated material in heptane. The walls of the obtained nanoscrolls are crystalline, which originates from layer crystallinity in the pristine silicate. The direction of rolling up is fixed at the a- or b-axis of the silicate based on the electron diffraction patterns of the nanoscrolls. Desorption of (C18)2DMABr, which is present in addition to (C18)2DMA cations, from the interlayer during solvothermal treatment is likely related to the nanoscrolling process. Although the yield of nanoscrolls is low, these findings will lead to the re-estimation of many layered silicates intercalated with long-chain alkylammonium compounds as precursors for silicate nanoscrolls with crystalline walls.

Efficient preparation of kaolinite/methanol intercalation composite by using a Soxhlet extractor

Kaolinite/methanol intercalation composite (KMe) is a key precursor for preparing clay-based inorganic/organic hybrid materials and kaolinite nanoscrolls. However, synthesis of KMe is a time and methanol dissipative process and the complexity of this process also limits its further applications. In this study, Soxhlet extractor was introduced to synthesize an intercalation composite and KMe was efficiently synthesized in a Soxhlet extractor through a continuous displacement process by using kaolinite/DMSO intercalation composite (KD) as a precursor. The formation process of kaolinite/methanol intercalation composite was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The results showed that the DMSO in kaolinite could be completely displaced by methanol in this process and the preparation of KMe could be completed in 8 hours, which was far faster than the reported methods. Moreover, methanol used in this process could be recycled. Furthermore, the resulting material could be successfully used to prepare kaolinite nanoscrolls in high yield.

Facile one-step microwave-assisted modification of kaolinite and performance evaluation of pickering emulsion stabilization for oil recovery application

A facile one-step microwave-assisted method was proposed for kaolinite intercalation and grafting. The structure, morphology, composition, and size distribution of kaolinite sheets were investigated using various methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The potential application of the modified kaolinite as an oil/water emulsion stabilizer was studied. The results verified that intact kaolinite sheets were obtained. The dodecane/water emulsion stabilized by the modified kaolinite remained stable for more than 60 days. The effective performance suggests that the effectiveness of the proposed kaolinite modification method may be useful for Pickering emulsion stabilization in oil recovery applications.

Preparation of Methyl Viologen-Kaolinite Intercalation Compound: Controlled Release and Electrochemical Applications

This work reports the preparation of novel kaolinite nanohybrid material obtained by intercalation of methyl viologen (MV) in the interlayer space of kaolinite, using methoxykaolinite (K-M) as starting material. Characterization of the resulting material (K-MV) confirmed the presence of MV units in the interlayer space of K-M with lateral orientation, associated with a high amount of water molecules due to the hydrophilic nature of MV. The resulting structural formula of this organoclay based on thermogravimetric analysis was Si₂Al₂O₅(OH)_3.72(OCH₃)_0.28(MV)_0.17(H₂O)_0.82. The release of MV from the K-MV composite was studied in order to evaluate the advantages of using this material for pesticide formulation with MV as active ingredient. The localization of MV in the interlayer space of K-M significantly slows its release in water. However, the interactions that retain MV in the interlayer space remain sufficiently less intense to ensure a complete release of MV in a relatively short time (2 h). On the basis of the interactions that ensure MV intercalation in methoxykaolinite, K-M was used as electrode modifier and applied for the electrochemical determination of MV. The electrochemical signal of MV on the K-M modified electrode was 2 times more intense compared to the pristine kaolinite modified electrode. After optimization of experimental parameters, a sensitivity of 3.91 μA M^-1 and a detection limit of 0.14 nM were obtained at the K-M modified electrode. This performance represents one of the most important reported so far in the literature during the electrochemical determination of MV. The sensor was also found very efficient for MV determination in real water systems (well, spring, and tap water) despite the decrease of sensitivity due to the presence of interfering species.

Molecular Structure and Decomposition Kinetics of Kaolinite/Alkylamine Intercalation Compounds

Although the development of clay/polymer nanocomposites and their applications have attracted much attention in recent years, a thorough understanding of the structure and the decomposition mechanism of clay/polymer nanocomposites is still lacking. In this research, the intercalation of kaolinite (Kaol) with different alkylamines were investigated by X-ray diffracion (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The results showed that the intercalation of Kaol/methanol compound with hexylamine (HA), dodecylamine (DA), and octadecylamine (OA) led to the expansion of the interlayer distance and resulted in the dominant basal diffraction at 2.86, 4.08, and 5.66 nm. The alky chains of HA, DA, and OA are tilted toward the Kaol surface in bilayer with an inclination angle of ~40°. The most probable mechanism function, activation energy E, and pre-exponential factor A were obtained by mutual authentication using KAS and Ozawa methods, itrative and Satava integral method. The average activation energy E of the three intercalation compounds are 104.44, 130.80, and 154.59 kJ mol-1, respectively. It shows a positive correlation with the alkyl chain length. The pre-exponential factor A was estimated to be 1.09 × 1015, 1.15 × 108, and 4.17 × 1021 s-1, respectively. The optimized mechanism function for the decomposition of alkylamine is G(α) = [(1-α) -1/3-1]2.

Molecular Treatment of Nano-Kaolinite Generations

A procedure is developed for defining a compositionally and structurally realistic, atomic-scale description of exfoliated clay nanoparticles from the kaolinite family of phylloaluminosilicates. By use of coordination chemical principles, chemical environments within a nanoparticle can be separated into inner, outer, and peripheral spheres. The edges of the molecular models of nanoparticles were protonated in a validated manner to achieve charge neutrality. Structural optimizations using semiempirical methods (NDDO Hamiltonians and DFTB formalism) and ab initio density functionals with a saturated basis set revealed previously overlooked molecular origins of morphological changes as a result of exfoliation. While the use of semiempirical methods is desirable for the treatment of nanoparticles composed of tens of thousands of atoms, the structural accuracy is rather modest in comparison to DFT methods. We report a comparative survey of our infrared data for untreated crystalline and various exfoliated states of kaolinite and halloysite. Given the limited availability of experimental techniques for providing direct structural information about nano-kaolinite, the vibrational spectra can be considered as an essential tool for validating structural models. The comparison of experimental and calculated stretching and bending frequencies further justified the use of the preferred level of theory. Overall, an optimal molecular model of the defect-free, ideal nano-kaolinite can be composed with respect to stationary structure and curvature of the potential energy surface using the PW91/SVP level of theory with empirical dispersion correction (PW91+D) and polarizable continuum solvation model (PCM) without the need for a scaled quantum chemical force field. This validated theoretical approach is essential in order to follow the formation of exfoliated clays and their surface reactivity that is experimentally unattainable.

Molecular dynamics of the halloysite nanotubes

We report large-scale and long-time molecular dynamics simulations demonstrating the transformation of a single kaolin alumosilicate sheet to a halloysite nanotube. The models we consider contain up to 5 × 10⁵ atoms, which is two orders of magnitude larger than that used in previous theoretical works. It was found that the temperature plays a crucial role in the formation of the rolled geometry of the halloysite. For the models with periodic boundary conditions, we observe the tendency to form twin-tube structures, which is confirmed experimentally by atomic force microscopy imaging. The molecular dynamics calculations show that the rate of the rolling process is very sensitive to the choice of the winding axis and varies from 5 ns to 25 ns. The effects of the open boundary conditions and the initial form of the kaolin alumosilicate sheet are discussed. Our simulation results are consistent with experimental TEM and AFM halloysite tube imaging.

In situsynthesis of magnesium hydroxides modified with tripodal ligands in an organic medium

The use of organic solvents enhanced the designability of the surface functional groups of interlayer-modified magnesium hydroxides with tripodal ligands.

Characterization and Applications of Kaolinite Robustly Grafted by an Ionic Liquid with Naphthyl Functionality

Functionalization of the kaolinite (K) interlayer space is challenging. In this work, a new kaolinite-based nanohybridmaterial (K-NI) was successfully synthesized by grafting on the interlayer aluminol surfaces the ionic liquid, 1-(1-methylnaphthyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethyl) imidazolium chloride (NI), using a guest displacement strategy. A substantial increase of the basal spacing (10.8 Å) was obtained. This is a grafted derivative of kaolinite possessing one of the largest d-values. Washing in water for several days and other vigorous treatments such as sonication showed a minor effect on the integrity of the material. FTIR and ¹³C NMR confirmed the conservation of the structure of the ionic liquid after the grafting. Thermal analysis confirmed the presence of grafted material and was used to estimate the abundance of the grafted ionic liquid (0.44 mole per mole of kaolinite structural formula, (Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄)). By using cyclic voltammetry, the permeability of a film of K-NI for the bulky ferricyanide ions was demonstrated. The accumulation of nitrophenolate anions was effective (maximum capacity of 190 μmol/g), but was less important than what was expected due to the steric hindrance of the bulky grafted NI. Although the presence of chloride anions reduced the adsorption capacity, the affinity of the modified kaolinite interlayer space for the nitrophenolate anions was demonstrated.

Superior acidic catalytic activity and stability of Fe-doped HTaWO6 nanotubes

Fe-doped HTaWO₆ (H_1-3xFe_xTaWO₆, x = 0.23) nanotubes as highly active solid acid catalysts were prepared via an exfoliation-scrolling-exchange process. The specific surface area and pore volume of undoped nanotubes (20.8 m² g^-1, 0.057 cm³ g^-1) were remarkably enhanced through Fe³⁺ ion-exchange (>100 m² g^-1, 0.547 cm³ g^-1). Doping Fe ions into the nanotubes endowed them with improved thermal stability due to the stronger interaction between the intercalated Fe³⁺ ions and the host layers. This interaction also facilitated the preservation of effective Brønsted acid sites and the generation of new acid sites. The integration of these functional roles resulted in Fe-doped nanotubes with high acidic catalytic activities in the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of anisole and the esterification of acetic acid. Facile accessibility to active sites, generation of effective Brønsted acid sites, high stability of the tubular structure and strong acid sites were found to synergistically contribute to the excellent acidic catalytic efficiency. Additionally, the activity of cycled nanocatalysts can be easily recovered through annealing treatment.

Electrokinetic Energy Conversion in Self-Assembled 2D Nanofluidic Channels with Janus Nanobuilding Blocks

Inspired by the microstructure of nacre, material design, and large-scale integration of artificial nanofluidic devices step into a completely new stage, termed 2D nanofluidics, in which mass and charge transportation are confined in the interstitial space between reconstructed 2D nanomaterials. However, all the existing 2D nanofluidic systems are reconstituted from homogeneous nanobuilding blocks. Herein, this paper reports the bottom-up construction of 2D nanofluidic materials with kaolinite-based Janus nanobuilding blocks, and demonstrates two types of electrokinetic energy conversion through the network of 2D nanochannels. Being different from previous 2D nanofluidic systems, two distinct types of sub-nanometer- and nanometer-wide fluidic channels of about 6.8 and 13.8 Å are identified in the reconstructed kaolinite membranes (RKM), showing prominent surface-governed ion transport behaviors and nearly perfect cation-selectivity. The RKMs exhibit superior capability in osmotic and hydraulic energy conversion, compared to graphene-based membranes. The mineral-based 2D nanofluidic system opens up a new avenue to self-assemble asymmetric 2D nanomaterials for energy, environmental, and healthcare applications.

Surface Characterization of Mechanochemically Modified Exfoliated Halloysite Nanoscrolls

Surface modifications fundamentally influence the morphology of kaolinite nanostructures as a function of crystallinity and the presence of contaminants. Besides morphology, the catalytic properties of 1:1-type exfoliated aluminosilicates are also influenced by the presence of defect sites that can be generated in a controlled manner by mechanochemical activation. In this work, we investigated exfoliated halloysite nanoparticles with a quasi-homogeneous, scroll-type secondary structure toward developing structural/functional relationships for composition, atomic structure, and morphology. The surface properties of thin-walled nanoscrolls were studied as a function of mechanochemical activation expressed by the duration of dry-grinding. The surface characterizations were carried out using N₂, NH₃, and CO₂ adsorption measurements. The effects of grinding on the nanohalloysite structure were followed using thermoanalytical thermogravimetric/derivative thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) and infrared spectroscopic [Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection (FTIR/ATR)] techniques. Grinding results in partial dehydroxylation with similar changes as those observed for heat treatment above 300 °C. Mechanochemical activation shows a decrease in the dehydroxylation mass loss and the DTG peak temperature, a decrease in the specific surface area and the number of mesopores, an increase in the surface acidity, blue shift of surface hydroxide bands, and a decrease in the intensity of FTIR/ATR bands as a function of the grinding time. The experimental observations were used to guide atomic-scale structural and energetic simulations using realistic molecular cluster models for a nanohalloysite particle. A full potential energy surface description was developed for the mechanochemical activation and/or heating toward nanometahalloysite formation that aids the interpretation of experimental results. The calculated differences upon dehydroxylation show a remarkable agreement with the mass loss values from DTG measurements.

A review of nanomaterials for nanofluid enhanced oil recovery

Utilizing nanomaterials in flooding techniques has the potential to enhance oil recovery.

Halloysite Clay Nanotubes for Loading and Sustained Release of Functional Compounds

Halloysite is an alumosilicate tubular clay with a diameter of 50 nm, an inner lumen of 15 nm and a length of 600-900 nm. It is a natural biocompatible nanomaterial available in thousands of tons at low price, which makes it a good candidate for nanoarchitectural composites. The inner lumen of halloysite may be adjusted by etching to 20-30% of the tube volume and loading with functional agents (antioxidants, anticorrosion agents, flame-retardant agents, drugs, or proteins) allowing for formulations with sustained release tuned by the tube end-stoppers for hours and days. Clogging the tube ends in polymeric composites allows further extension of the release time. Thus, antioxidant-loaded halloysite doped into rubber enhances anti-aging properties for at least 12 months. The addition of 3-5 wt% of halloysite increases the strength of polymeric materials, and the possibility of the tube's orientation promises a gradient of properties. Halloysite nanotubes are a promising mesoporous media for catalytic nanoparticles that may be seeded on the tube surface or synthesized exclusively in the lumens, providing enhanced catalytic properties, especially at high temperatures. In vitro and in vivo studies on biological cells and worms indicate the safety of halloysite, and tests for efficient adsorption of mycotoxins in animals' stomachs are also carried out.