Halloysite nanotube with fluorinated lumen: non-foaming nanocontainer for storage and controlled release of oxygen in aqueous media

Giuseppe Cavallaro; Giuseppe Lazzara; Stefana Milioto; Giovanni Palmisano; Filippo Parisi

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2013.11.026

Halloysite nanotube with fluorinated lumen: non-foaming nanocontainer for storage and controlled release of oxygen in aqueous media

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2014 Mar 1:417:66-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.11.026. Epub 2013 Nov 20.

Authors

Giuseppe Cavallaro¹, Giuseppe Lazzara², Stefana Milioto¹, Giovanni Palmisano¹, Filippo Parisi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics and Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, pad. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
² Department of Physics and Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, pad. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.lazzara@unipa.it.

PMID: 24407660
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.11.026

Abstract

Halloysite clay nanotubes were selectivity modified by adsorbing perfluoroalkylated anionic surfactants at the inner surface. The modified nanotubes formed kinetically stable dispersions due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsions exercised between the particles. We proved that the modified nanotubes can be used as non-foaming oxygen nanocontainers in aqueous media. The gas release from supersaturated dispersions can be controlled by external stimuli and system composition. In conclusion, we managed to put forward an easy strategy to develop smart materials from natural nanoclays, which can endow important applications like the storage and delivery of gas.

Keywords: Fluorinated surfactant; Gas solubilization; Halloysite; Nanoclay.