Halloysite nanotubes assisted design of polymeric nanoarchitectures for multifarious applications – a review

ABSTRACT

Recently emerging advancements in nanotechnology has facilitated the incorporation of nanoparticulates within polymeric matrices to achieve enhanced features in polymeric nanoarchitectures for multifarious applications. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are nano-tubular naturally occurring nanoclays with similar nanoarchitectural configuration with carbonaceous carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nano-kaolin possessing nanometric lumens, elevated length-to-diametric ratios, and minimal surfacial hydroxyl set density. Emerging advancements in nanotechnology has enabled the embedment of HNTs within polymeric matrices to attain HNT@polymeric nanoarchitectures (HNT@PNC) with optimized and enhanced features thereby expanding their scope of multifunctional applications in versatile segments including biomedicals, pharmaceutical drug delivery, energy storage, automobiles, aerospace, oil and gas, and so on. Therefore, this paper elucidates recently emerging trends in construction, characterization, properties and multifarious applications of HNT@PNC.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Halloysite nanotubes
• halloysite polymeric nanoarchitectures
• multifarious applications
• properties optimization

Acknowledgments

Engr. Dr. Christopher Igwe Idumah, of the Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria is acknowledged for sponsoring this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher Igwe Idumah

Engr. Dr. Christopher Igwe Idumah got his Ph.D. in Polymer Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and MSc. from Ther Manchester University, England, UK. He obtained his B.Eng. from FUTO, Nigeria and Diploma from University of Aberdeen. He is presently lecturing with UNIZIK, Nigeria and has won several awards and accolades across the globe. He was ranked amongst World Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, USA (2020-2022).