Improve the Dispersion of Nanoclay Using Biochar and Biosilica-Application to Decrease the Loss of Pesticide

Dispersion of nanomaterials could influence their functions and suspending capacity in aqueous solution, which could further affect their applications. Therefore, improving the dispersion of nanomaterials was rather significant. Herein, to enhance the dispersion of attapulgite (ATP), a kind of naturally aggregated nanoclay, straw ash-based biochar and biosilica (BCS) with micro/nano porous structure was added to ATP suspension under ultrasonic processing to form ATP-BCS nanocomposites. This approach could effectively decrease the particle size of originally aggregated ATP through steric hindrance effect of BCS and cavitation effect of ultrasound, resulting in a significant improvement of the dispersion and suspension capacity of ATP. Moreover, the ATP-BCS, when added into pesticide, could effectively improve the adhesion of pesticide, so that the loss of pesticide could be decreased and the pollution risk of pesticide could be lowered.