IP Library › Granted Patent US 12661634
Granted Patent B2
US 12661634 · App. 17/614,955 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Nanotubes in porous particles

Inventors: Vijay T. John (Destrehan, LA); Ioulia A. Valla (Storrs, CT)
Assignees: The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund; UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
B01J20/262B01D53/8671B01J20/183B01J20/28016B01J20/3028B01J20/3042B01J20/3085B01J21/12B01J29/70B01J37/0018B01J37/0072C05G5/27C05G5/40B01D2255/50B01D2257/504B01J35/45B01J2235/15B01J2235/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12661634
App. No.
17/614,955
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods that allow access to the interior of porous particles by inserting nanotubes into the particles. The compositions and methods disclosed herein are useful in several applications such as in catalytic reactions, plant active delivery, pharmaceutical drug delivery, and in absorbing environmental contaminants.

Claims (66)

1 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface; and

a ceramic or halloysite nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein

(a) the lumen of the nanotube is substantially free of the porous particle; and/or

(b) the composition of matter further comprises a plant active, a pharmaceutical drug, a ligand, a polymer, an aminated compound, or a combination thereof embedded in the porous particle.

2 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein the composition of matter comprises (a) and (b).

3 . The composition of matter of claim 1 , wherein (b) further comprises a catalyst embedded in the porous particle, the catalyst comprising a zeolite, a noble metal, a transition metal cluster, a transition metal cluster ion exchanged into zeolite, or a combination thereof.

4 . A method of synthesizing the composition of matter of claim 1 , comprising:

aerosolizing into droplets a precursor solution comprising a templating surfactant, a silica precursor, a solvent, and nanotubes; and

heating the droplets to make particles.

5 . A method for preparing a composition of matter comprising:

incubating the composition of matter of claim 1 in a solution comprising the plant active or the pharmaceutical drug, and a solvent; and

evaporating the solvent to yield the composition of matter.

6 . A method for preparing a composition of matter comprising contacting the composition of matter of claim 1 with a ligand.

7 . A method of absorbing on the composition of matter of claim 1 environmental contaminants comprising:

placing the composition of matter of claim 1 embedded with a ligand in contact with the environmental contaminants.

8 . A method for preparing a composition of matter of claim 1 comprising:

incubating a composition of matter comprising a porous particle and a nanotube penetrating the porous particle in a solution comprising polymers and a solvent; and

evaporating the solvent to yield polymers embedded in the interior of the porous particle.

9 . A method of converting calcium oxide (CaO) into calcium carbonate (CaCO3) comprising contacting the composition of matter of claim 1 comprising calcium oxide with carbon dioxide (CO2).

10 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface; and

a nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein the composition of matter further comprises a plant active embedded in the porous particle, wherein the plant active comprises a fertilizer, a nutrient, a pesticide, or a combination thereof.

11 . A method for delivering a plant active to a plant comprising:

spraying the plant with a combination of the composition of matter of claim 10 and a carrier.

12 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface; and

a nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein the composition of matter further comprises an aminated compound polymer embedded in the porous particle, wherein the polymer comprises poly(ethyleneimine)(PEI).

13 . The composition of matter of claim 12 , further comprising CO 2 adsorbed to the PEI.

14 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface; and

a nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein

(a) the lumen of the nanotube is substantially free of the porous particle; and/or

(b) the composition of matter further comprises a plant active, a pharmaceutical drug, a ligand, a polymer, an aminated compound, or a combination thereof embedded in the porous particle; and

wherein the composition of matter comprises an aminated compound, the aminated compound comprising monoethanolamide, triethanolamine, diethanolamine, diethylenetriamine, tetraethylenepentamine, tetraethylenepentamine-acrylonitrile, 3-aminopropytriethyoxysilane, or a combination of the foregoing.

15 . The composition of matter of claim 14 , further comprising CO 2 adsorbed to the aminated compound.

16 . A method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the composition of matter of claim 14 comprising:

contacting the composition of matter of claim 14 with carbon dioxide (CO2).

17 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface, wherein the porous particle is selected from the group comprising: MCM-41, MCM-48, MCM-50, SBA-11, SBA-12, SBA-15, SBA-16, KIT-5, and COK-12; and

a nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein

(a) the lumen of the nanotube is substantially free of the porous particle; and/or

(b) the composition of matter further comprises a plant active, a pharmaceutical drug, a ligand, a polymer, an aminated compound, or a combination thereof embedded in the porous particle.

18 . A composition of matter comprising:

a porous particle having an interior and a surface, the porous particle comprising calcium oxide (CaO) or silica; and

a nanotube comprising an outer wall having two ends and an open lumen, the nanotube penetrating the porous particle such that one end of the nanotube is exposed to the interior of the porous particle and does not extend outside of the porous particle and the other end of the nanotube is exposed to an environment outside of the interior and surface of the porous particle, and the lumen of the nanotube is open to the environment,

wherein

(a) the lumen of the nanotube is substantially free of the porous particle; and/or

(b) the composition of matter further comprises a plant active, a pharmaceutical drug, a ligand, a polymer, an aminated compound, or a combination thereof embedded in the porous particle.

19 . A method of preparing the composition of matter of claim 18 , comprising:

aerosolizing a precursor solution comprising a salt comprising calcium, a solvent, and nanotubes into droplets; and

heating the droplets to make particles.

20 . A method of synthesizing the composition of matter of claim 14 , comprising:

aerosolizing into droplets a precursor solution comprising a templating surfactant, a silica precursor, a solvent, and nanotubes; and

heating the droplets to make particles.

21 . A method of synthesizing the composition of matter of claim 17 , comprising:

aerosolizing into droplets a precursor solution comprising a templating surfactant, a silica precursor, a solvent, and nanotubes; and

heating the droplets to make particles.

22 . A method of synthesizing the composition of matter of claim 18 , comprising:

aerosolizing into droplets a precursor solution comprising a templating surfactant, a silica precursor, a solvent, and nanotubes; and

heating the droplets to make particles.