Phyllosilicates aminopropyl-functionalized magnesium

Fig. 8.5 SEM images of (A) close packed array of latex beads (scale bar= 1 tm) and (B) macroporous aminopropyl-functionalized magnesium phyllosilicate monolith obtained after infiltration and extraction of colloidal template (scale bar= 1 pm).

Layered materials are of special interest for bio-immobilization due to the accessibility of large internal and external surface areas, potential to confine biomolecules within regularly organized interlayer spaces, and processing of colloidal dispersions for the fabrication of protein-clay films for electrochemical catalysis [83-90], These studies indicate that layered materials can serve as efficient support matrices to maintain the native structure and function of the immobilized biomolecules. Current trends in the synthesis of functional biopolymer nano composites based on layered materials (specifically layered double hydroxides) have been discussed in excellent reviews by Ruiz-Hitzky [5] and Duan [6] herein we focus specifically on the fabrication of bio-inorganic lamellar nanocomposites based on the exfoliation and ordered restacking of aminopropyl-functionalized magnesium phyllosilicate (AMP) in the presence of various biomolecules [91]. 

Patil, A.J., Muthusamy, E. and Mann, S. (2005) Fabrication of functional protein-organoclay lamellar nanocomposites by biomolecule-induced assembly of exfoliated aminopropyl-functionalized magnesium phyllosilicates. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 15, 3838-3843. 

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