Aminoclay: a functional layered material with multifaceted applications

Abstract

Layered silicates provide an interesting avenue to novel materials. There has been a growing interest in recent years for the development of functional materials using tailor made clays. This review highlights one such tailor made, water dispersible aminopropyl functionalized magnesium phyllosilicate (aminoclay) of the type R₈Si₈Mg₆O₁₆(OH)₄, (where R = –CH₂CH₂NH₂) and its multiple applications in catalysis, biology, fuel cells and light-harvesting hybrids.