Hierarchical nanotubular clay materials derived from natural cellulose substance

• Nanotubular clay materials templated by cellulose substance were fabricated.
• The clay (composite) materials possess hierarchical morphologies.
• Iron nanoparticle-immobilized clay composite decolorizes dye solution.

Versatile hierarchical nanotubular clay materials were fabricated by using natural cellulose substance as template. Cellulose nanofibers were pre-coated with ultrathin titania gel films employing the surface sol–gel process, followed by layer-by-layer self-assembly of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and the specific clay nanosheets (kunipia-F, montmorillonite-K10 and sumecton-SA) through electrostatic interactions. The as-deposited cellulose/titania/polymer/clay composite sheets were calcined to remove the organic components, resulting in bulk hierarchical nanotubular titania/clay hybrid materials. Further sulfuric acid solution treatment of the resultant titania/kunipia-F hybrid sheet led to the pure nanotubular structured kunipia-F material. Low-temperature sodium hydroxide/urea solution treatment of the as-prepared cellulose/titania/polymer/kunipia-F composite sheet formed nanotubular titania/polymer/kunipia-F hybrid. Iron nanoparticles were immobilized onto the as-prepared cellulose/titania/polymer/kunipia-F composite sheet as the substrate, resulting in a new composite material showing high efficiency of decoloration of aqueous methylene blue.

A series of hierarchical nanotubular structured clay (composite) materials were developed by using cellulose filter paper as template, which was achieved by layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolyte layer and clay nanosheets (kunipia-F, montmorillonite-K10 and sumecton-SA) onto the titania ultrathin film precoated cellulose nanofibers of filter paper, followed by removal of the template species by different treatment manners.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide