Nanodot-Loaded Clay Nanotubes as Green and Sustained Radical Scavengers for Elastomer

Radical-scavenging carbon nanodots (CDs) were loaded into the 50 nm diameter natural halloysite clay tubes to fabricate low toxic CD-delivery vehicles for elastomer composites with sustained antiaging functionality. Then, 2 nm diameter carbon nanodots released from the halloysite lumens interacted with reactive radicals, generated at the initial stage of oxidative processes, which significantly improved thermo-aging resistance of the elastomers. The antioxidative efficiency of these CD-delivery vehicles was further increased through the nanotubes' surface modification with a thin grafted-silane shell, which allowed the slowing of the release rate, thus extending the protection. This nanoarchitectural design of the carbon dot-loaded clay nanotubes doped at 9 wt % into a rubber matrix allowed for sustained radical-scavenging and provides a new strategy for long-lasting elastomer protection. Our antiaging rubber nanoformulation based on a natural tubule clay and biocompatible CDs can decrease the environmental hazards of conventional petrol-derived antioxidants. Such clay core–shell systems may also be useful for biocompatible encapsulation of often-poisonous nanodots providing safe biomarkers.