Bio-Applications for Halloysite Clay Nanotubes

Natural Halloysite clay nanotubes are a biocompatible, robust, green material that may be used as inorganic nanocontainers for biomedical applications. These tubes 15-nm diameter lumens may be loaded with various chemical agents, including bioactive molecules such as proteins, drugs, and antimicrobial agents. These loaded tubes may then be doped into polymers, creating a nanobiocomposite with improved physical properties that may provide a controlled release of the loaded chemical agents. Loaded halloysite nanotubes may also be used to form a protective coating around living organisms (such as cells) to change the physical attributes of the organisms and improve survival in novel environments