title: A unique technology to transform inorganic nanorods into nano-networks.
abstract: An inorganic nano-network of attapulgite is formed from rigid nanorods using ion beam bombardment. The structure of the nano-networks depends on the ion beam fluence for the same ion energy. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that ion beam bombardment improves the dispersion of the attapulgite particles and the change in the shape of the rod-shaped attapulgite particles stems from the thermal stress induced by ion beam bombardment. This phenomenon is more obvious for higher ion fluences. The bent or twisted rod-shaped attapulgite particles cross-link to form a network structure, which is stable in water, and when the ion fluence is increased further, the cross-linked points are permanently sealed. The improved materials are more useful than clava attapulgite particles.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering, Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dongqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhengyan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kejian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Zengliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D017655:Silicon Compounds; C026325:attapulgite