Joining host/guest with contrary affinity at the nanoscale by chemical bonds or non-covalent interactions with organic media under diffusion: control of embedded versus exposed magnetite dispersions.

Abstract

Emulating natural dynamism distributing earth minerals using diffusion and gravity, herein it is reported a strategy to unite nanostructured materials of similar size but intrinsic physical repellence, magnetite guest bestowed with C18 alkyl chain ligands and highly hydrophilic ammonium dawsonite NH4Al(OH)2CO3 host, based in electromagnetic and chemical forces. Notwithstanding augmented polarity of nanostructured surface’s carrier, has been used as fine-tuning tool in conjunction with continuum, for triggering a disseminated array of specific interactions covering entire carrier NH4+-RDW-NP periphery. Strong interactions heighten enthalpic contributions balancing unfavourable entropic penalty. Shelter adsorbs diffused guest like conventional Fe3O4-NP dispersions but additionally, whether restricts void’s access or, sinters carrier enabling isolation of a second morphology where magnetite is quantitatively embedded into cavities left between agglomerates. Reported deposition protocol extends sort of practical interactions beyond the known dipole-dipole derived ones, to ion-p and truly chemical coordination bonds, strengthening wetting interfaces that define noticeable g-Al2O3 crystalline domains at minor temperatures. Manuscript illustrates how certain organic media may assist to reliable guest depositions in, hydrotalcite to alumina carriers within controlled morphology, at the same weight level than common procedures reported for more akin host/guest. Interestingly, protocol enables practical SBET measurements for solids with significative contributions of interparticle porosity. Detrimental effects are also addressed.