Dehydroxylation of Kaolinite Tunes Metal Oxide–Nanoclay Interactions for Enhancing Antibacterial Activity

Abstract

Engineered nanoparticle–support interaction is an effective strategy for tuning the structures and performance of engineered nanoparticles. Here, we show that tuning the dehydroxylation of kaolinite nanoclay as the support could induce zinc oxide–kaolinite interactions. We used free energy theory, electron microscopy, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy to identify interaction strengths between metal oxides and the underlying nanoclay induced by dehydroxylation. Desirable exposure of nanoparticle sites and the geometrical and crystal structure were obtained by tuning the interface interactions between ZnO nanoparticles and nanoclay. The surface free energy of zinc oxide–nanoclay results in different interfacial interactions, and the properties of the surface free energy electron-donating (γ−) and electron-accepting (γ+) parameters have significant effects on the electron acceptor. This could, in turn, promote stronger interactions between zinc oxide and the kaolinite surface, which produce more active (0001) Zn-polar surfaces with promoting zinc oxide nanoparticles growing along the <0001> direction. Reactive oxygen species, leached zinc ions, and electron transfer can modulate the antibacterial activities of the samples as a function of interface free energy. This further demonstrates the interfacial interactions induced by dehydroxylation. This work has new application potential in biomedicine and materials science.