Nanocomposite materials offer a new platform for the design and development of methods for constructing new molecules with applications ranging from energy storage, sensors, coatings, transportation, optoelectronics, catalysis, and many more. Advanced applications of such materials arise because of the synergistic chemical, and nanosized effects. Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as nanoclays, graphene, and related materials have inherent ordered and confined structures and they provide a direction to develop novel functional materials. The key structural, physical, and chemical features of 2D materials include large aspect ratio, high mechanical strength, light weight, high conductivity, functional groups, and many others. Aminoclay (AC) containing amine groups serve as an attractive class of layered 2D materials with remarkable properties and applications over other natural or synthetic clays. The interesting properties arise due to the combination of the nanoscopic space with the rich surface chemistry of amine groups that are covalently linked to the clay structure. AC can be incorporated with other materials in order to expand its potential. There has been a growing interest in recent years for the development of functional materials using ACs. Here, we have highlighted the importance of covalent functionalization of AC with cyclodextrins and their complexation with clusters. We also developed electrospun AC-nylon-6 nanofiber mats as “Smart Surfaces” for desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI MS)-based analysis and imprint imaging.
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