Method for labeling nanoclay for tracking them within different solid and liquid material

A method of monitoring a location of a nanoparticle within a material, including the steps of:

• providing at least one nanoclay particle including organically modified montmorillonite (o-MMT);
• reacting the at least one nanoclay particle including o-MMT with a solution including mercaptosilane to convert a hydroxyl of the o-MMT to a thiol moiety and produce a mercaptosilane modified nanoclay particle including the thiol moiety;
• reacting the mercaptosilane modified nanoclay particle with a thiol-reactive dye including a fluorescent tag to attach the fluorescent tag to the thiol moiety of the mercaptosilane modified nanoclay particle with a covalent bond to form a fluorescent-labeled nanoclay particle;
• determining a fluorescence of the fluorescent-labeled nanoclay particle;
• inserting the fluorescent-labeled nanoclay particle into the material;
• depositing the material in an aqueous solution;
• and
• detecting a movement of the fluorescent-labeled nanoclay particle from the material to the aqueous solution.