Self-Standing Biohybrid Xerogels Incorporating Nanotubular Clays for Sustainable Removal of Pollutants
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Date
2024-11-25
Authors
Caruso, Maria Rita
Calvino, Martina Maria
Šiler, Pavel
Cába, Vladislav
Milioto, Stefana
Lisuzzo, Lorenzo
Lazzara, Giuseppe
Cavallaro, Giuseppe
0000-0002-0383-1577Advisor
Referee
Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
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Abstract
In this work, it is reported a scalable and systematic protocol for the preparation of xerogels based on the use of green, highly available, and low-cost materials, i.e. halloysite nanoclay and chitosan, without the need for any expensive equipment or operational/energetic demands. Starting from colloidal dispersions, rheological studies demonstrate the formation of hydrogels with zero-shear viscosities enhanced by approximate to 9 orders of magnitude and higher storage moduli. Hence, the corresponding self-standing xerogels are prepared by a simple solvent casting method and their properties depend on the concentration of halloysite, possessing enhanced thermal stability and outstanding mechanical performances (elastic modulus and ultimate elongation of 165 MPa and 43%, respectively). The resulting biohybrid materials can be exploited for environmental remediation. High removal efficiencies are reached for the capture of organic molecules from aqueous media and the CO2 capture from the atmosphere is also investigated. Most importantly, the presence of an inorganic skeleton within the xerogels prevents the structure from collapsing upon drying and it allows for the control over their morphology and shape. Therefore, taking advantage of the overall features, the designed xerogels offer an attractive strategy for sustainably tackling pollution and for environmental remediation in a plethora of different domains.
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Citation
Small. 2024, vol. 21, issue 3, p. 1-14.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/smll.202405215
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/smll.202405215
Document type
Peer-reviewed
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Published version
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Language of document
en