title: Robust liquid marbles stabilized with surface-modified halloysite nanotubes.
abstract: We have demonstrated the fabrication of fluorine-free liquid marbles from halloysite nanotube. Halloysite is a naturally occurring inorganic nanotube that has a high aspect ratio, and the surface was modified with octadecyltrimethoxysilane. The surface-modified halloysite formed pincushion agglomerates on the surface of the liquid droplets, which create superhydrophobic surface similar to that of the plant gall surface prepared by aphids. As a result, the liquid marbles showed high mechanical strength upon impact without the use of low surface energy fluoroalkyl or fluorine-modified materials. Our results suggest a new strategy for designing novel materials for liquid marbles inspired by nature.
authors.affiliation: ERATO Takahara Soft Interface Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) , 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Hirohmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uesugi
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jinnai
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahara
mesh_terms: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon