Clay surfaces, modified hydrophobicity

Alvarez-Cohen et al. [91] explicitly showed that microbial transformation rates of trichloroethylene (TCE) were proportional to the aqueous TCE concentrations and independent from zeolite-sorbed TCE concentrations. Apparently in contrast to these findings, Crocker et al. [92] reported on the direct bioavailability of naphthalene sorbed to hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA)-modified smectite clay to Pseudomonas putida 17848, but not to Alcaligenes sp. strain NP-Alk. It should be noted that sorption to the hexadecyl chains of HDTMA resembles more the solubilisation by a surfactant than adsorption to a solid surface. Possibly, hydrophobic surface structures of strain 17848 allowed the close contact with HDTMA, thereby facilitating the uptake of naphthalene by a lipophilic pathway. 

Surface-modified MMT clay is commercially available, as well as natural sodium MMT. Since FA is hydrophilic, in contrast to the hydrophobic PFA, the intercalation process was studied both with naturally occurring hydrophilic sodium MMT (NaMMT) and with an organomodified MMT (30BMMT), which is hydrophobic. 

In the case of polymer/clay nanocomposites, alkylammonium exchange species influence the affinity between the polymer and the clay surface. For example, it was reported that clays treated with dialkyl dimethylammonium halides, in particular with two chains of about 18 carbon atoms, have a surface energy similar to poly(olefins) such as polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) [27]. Polar polymers as polyamides (PA) have been recommended to get better interactions as reported by Toyota [8]. The alkyl chain length is related with increase in interlayer space required for the intercalation of polymer chains. Because of the nonpolar nature of their chains, they reduce the electrostatic interactions between the silicate layers and lower the surface energy of the layered silicates. As a consequence, an optimal diffusion of the polymer to dissociate the stacked clay layers, that is, an exfoliation process, can be obtained. Despite the compatibility of MMT modified by long alkyl chain quaternary ammonium with hydrophobic polymers (PE and PP), conventional alkylammonium ions show low thermal stability, that is, an onset decomposition temperature is close to 180°C.This poor thermal stability could limit their use in the preparation of PLS with matrices processed at high temperatures such as PA, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) [30]. 

Hydrophobic organic ligands added to a carbon-paste electrode, or immobilized on a chemically modified electrode, can be used for the accumulation of metal ions by the surface-complexation mechanism [89-91], The same goal can be achieved by immobilized ion exchangers such as natural or synthetic zeolites [89], clay minerals [92], silica [93], and ion exchange resins [94] ... 

Nano-clay incorporated polymer coatings are important for modifying properties of surfaces. Nano-clay incorporated thermoset polymer nanocoatings exhibit superior properties such as super-hydrophobicity, improved wettability, excellent resistance to chemicals, corrosion resistance, improved weather resistance, better abrasion resistance, improved barrier properties and resistance to impact, scratches, etc. [116]. The parameters such as dipping time, temperature, nature of surfactant, and purity of nanomaterials decides the coating thickness. Clay-epoxy coating... 

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