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Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 33216

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Dr. Iole Venditti

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Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University of Rome via della Vasca navale 79, 00146 Rome, Italy
Interests: nanomaterials; inorganic chemistry; drug delivery; sensing; optical materials; photonics
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Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to submit your paper about hybrid materials based on metal nanoparticles and polymers to this Special Issue of Polymers.

Metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials have significantly contributed to the development of nanotechnology. Moreover, these hybrid materials can respond to stimuli (e.g., pH, temperature, light, magnetic fields, etc.) or self-degrade in a controlled manner to release metal nanoparticles or encapsulated therapeutics. Functional and structural hybrid materials have remarkable properties and provide opportunities for future advanced applications.

This Special Issue focuses on the progress in new hybrid materials based on metal nanoparticles and polymers, in particular, their design, preparation, functionalization, characterization, and advanced applications.

Full papers, communications, and reviews are welcome.

The topics of interest for this Special Issue are:

Design of new metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials
Development and preparation methods of metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials
Properties of nanoparticles-reinforced polymers (mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, chemical, magnetic, etc.)
Structure–property relationships in metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials
Metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials in plasmonics and photonics applications
Functional metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage
Low-dimensional metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials in biotechnology

Multi-functional smart metal nanoparticles–polymers hybrid materials

Dr. Iole Venditti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Design
Development and preparation methods
Properties of nanoparticles-reinforced polymers
Structure–property relationships
plasmonics and photonics applications
energy conversion and storage
biotechnology
smart hybrid materials

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 212 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II

by Iole Venditti

Polymers 2022, 14(9), 1901; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14091901 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1196

Abstract

Despite the pandemic, the last five years have been marked by an extraordinary development of new advanced technologies, based not only on new materials but also on modeling, information technology and artificial intelligence, which have allowed for great leaps forward in various research [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

Research

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18 pages, 3658 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation of Neutron/Self-Emitted Gamma Attenuation and Effects of Silane Surface Treatment on Mechanical and Wear Resistance Properties of Sm₂O₃/UHMWPE Composites

by Donruedee Toyen, Yupadee Paopun, Dararat Changjan, Ekachai Wimolmala, Sithipong Mahathanabodee, Theerasarn Pianpanit, Thitisorn Anekratmontree and Kiadtisak Saenboonruang

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3390; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13193390 - 02 Oct 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2353

Abstract

This work reports on the simulated neutron and self-emitted gamma attenuation of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites containing varying Sm₂O₃ contents in the range 0–50 wt.%, using a simulation code, namely MCNP-PHITS. The neutron energy investigated was 0.025 eV (thermal neutrons), and the gamma energies were 0.334, 0.712, and 0.737 MeV. The results indicated that the abilities to attenuate thermal neutrons and gamma rays were noticeably enhanced with the addition of Sm₂O₃, as seen by the increases in µ_m and µ, and the decrease in HVL. By comparing the simulated neutron-shielding results from this work with those from a commercial 5%-borated PE, the recommended Sm₂O₃ content that attenuated thermal neutrons with equal efficiency to the commercial product was 11–13 wt.%. Furthermore, to practically improve surface compatibility between Sm₂O₃ and the UHMWPE matrix and, subsequently, the overall wear/mechanical properties of the composites, a silane coupling agent (KBE903) was used to treat the surfaces of Sm₂O₃ particles prior to the preparation of the Sm₂O₃/UHMWPE composites. The experimental results showed that the treatment of Sm₂O₃ particles with 5–10 pph KBE903 led to greater enhancements in the wear resistance and mechanical properties of the 25 wt.% Sm₂O₃/UHMWPE composites, evidenced by lower specific wear rates and lower coefficients of friction, as well as higher tensile strength, elongation at break, and surface hardness, compared to those without surface treatment and those treated with 20 pph KBE903. In conclusion, the overall results suggested that the addition of Sm₂O₃ in the UHMWPE composites enhanced abilities to attenuate not only thermal neutrons but also gamma rays emitted after the neutron absorption by Sm, while the silane surface treatment of Sm₂O₃, using KBE903, considerably improved the processability, wear resistance, and strength of the composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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13 pages, 3246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Polystyrene/Ag for a Highly Reproducible SERS Substrate and Its Use for the Detection of Food Contaminants

by Sihan Zhang, Zhihua Xu, Jiaqi Guo, Haiying Wang, Yibo Ma, Xianming Kong, Hongtao Fan and Qian Yu

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3270; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13193270 - 25 Sep 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2492

Abstract

Polystyrene (PS) spheres were prepared through an emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization method, in which the reaction time, ionic strength, concentrations of copolymer were studied in detail. The resulting PS microspheres and Ag nanoparticles were used to construct a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate by a layer-by-layer assembly method. A relatively uniform distribution of PS/Ag in the films was obtained, and the multilayer substrate presented excellent SERS reproducibility and a tunable enhancement effect. The SERS substrate was used for detecting harmful pesticides (malachite green and dimetridazole) in food samples, with a limit of detection as low as 3.5 ppb. The obtained plasmonic composite has a promising future in the field of SERS sensing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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19 pages, 6324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Targeted Gold Nanohybrids Functionalized with Folate-Hydrophobic-Quaternized Pullulan Delivering Camptothecin for Enhancing Hydrophobic Anticancer Drug Efficacy

by Sakchai Laksee, Chamaiporn Supachettapun, Nongnuj Muangsin, Pattra Lertsarawut, Thitirat Rattanawongwiboon, Phitchan Sricharoen, Nunticha Limchoowong, Threeraphat Chutimasakul, Tanagorn Kwamman and Kasinee Hemvichian

Polymers 2021, 13(16), 2670; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13162670 - 10 Aug 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2453

Abstract

This study presented a green, facile and efficient approach for a new combination of targeted gold nanohybrids functionalized with folate-hydrophobic-quaternized pullulan delivering hydrophobic camptothecin (CPT-GNHs@FHQ-PUL) to enhance the efficacy, selectivity, and safety of these systems. New formulations of spherical CPT-GNHs@FHQ-PUL obtained by bio-inspired strategy were fully characterized by TEM, EDS, DLS, zeta-potential, UV-vis, XRD, and ATR-FTIR analyses, showing a homogeneous particles size with an average size of approximately 10.97 ± 2.29 nm. CPT was successfully loaded on multifunctional GNHs@FHQ-PUL via intermolecular interactions. Moreover, pH-responsive CPT release from newly formulated-CPT-GNHs@FHQ-PUL exhibited a faster release rate under acidic conditions. The intelligent CPT-GNHs@FHQ-PUL (IC₅₀ = 6.2 μM) displayed a 2.82-time higher cytotoxicity against human lung cancer cells (Chago-k1) than CPT alone (IC₅₀ = 2.2 μM), while simultaneously exhibiting less toxicity toward normal human lung cells (Wi-38). These systems also showed specific uptake by folate receptor-mediated endocytosis, exhibited excellent anticancer activity, induced the death of cells by increasing apoptosis pathway (13.97%), and arrested the cell cycle at the G0-G1 phase. The results of this study showed that the delivery of CPT by smart GNHs@FHQ-PUL systems proved to be a promising strategy for increasing its chemotherapeutic effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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18 pages, 5851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Curing Behaviors, Mechanical and Dynamic Properties of Composites Containing Chloroprene and Butadiene Rubbers Crosslinked with Nano-Iron(III) Oxide

by Anna Słubik, Aleksandra Smejda-Krzewicka and Krzysztof Strzelec

Polymers 2021, 13(6), 853; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13060853 - 10 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1845

Abstract

This paper discusses the curing behaviors, mechanical and dynamical properties of composites containing chloroprene rubber (CR) and butadiene rubber (BR) reinforced with mineral fillers. The iron(III) oxide nanoparticles were used as a crosslinking agent of the CR/BR blends. The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nano-iron(III) oxide (nano-Fe₂O₃) as a new crosslinking agent while producing elastomeric materials with good mechanical properties and reduced flammability. The CR/BR (chloroprene rubber/butadiene rubber) blends were filled with silicas from natural resources (chalcedony, Neuburg silica earth) or silicas used in elastomer technology in many fields (aerosil, ultrasil). The results revealed that all composites were characterized by satisfactory tensile strength, tear resistance, and high resistance to fire. The filler dispersion in the elastomer matrix was carried out by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the possibility of the filler–filler or filler–rubber interaction in the designed compositions was determined using the Payne effect and the Mullins effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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19 pages, 5708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabricating Antibacterial and Antioxidant Electrospun Hydrophilic Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibers Loaded with AgNPs by Lignin-Induced In-Situ Method

by Md. Kaiser Haider, Azeem Ullah, Muhammad Nauman Sarwar, Takumi Yamaguchi, Qianyu Wang, Sana Ullah, Soyoung Park and Ick Soo Kim

Polymers 2021, 13(5), 748; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13050748 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2569

Abstract

Concerning the environmental hazards owing to the chemical-based synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), this study aimed to investigate the possibility of synthesizing AgNPs on the surface of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers utilizing biomacromolecule lignin. SEM observations revealed that the average diameters of the produced nanofibers were slightly increased from ~512 nm to ~673 nm due to several factors like-swellings that happened during the salt treatment process, surface-bound lignin, and the presence of AgNPs. The presence of AgNPs was validated by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The amount of synthesized AgNPs on PAN nanofibers was found to be dependent on both precursor silver salt and reductant lignin concentration. Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectra confirm the presence of lignin on PAN nanofibers. Although the X-ray diffraction pattern did not show any AgNPs band, the reduced intensity of the stabilized PAN characteristics bands at 2θ = 17.28° and 29.38° demonstrated some misalignment of PAN polymeric chains. The water contact angle (WCA) of hydrophobic PAN nanofibers was reduced from 112.6 ± 4.16° to 21.4 ± 5.03° for the maximum AgNPs coated specimen. The prepared membranes exhibited low thermal stability and good swelling capacity up to 20.1 ± 0.92 g/g and 18.05 ± 0.68 g/g in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution, respectively. Coated lignin imparts antioxidant activity up to 78.37 ± 0.12% at 12 h of incubation. The resultant nanofibrous membranes showed a proportional increase in antibacterial efficacy with the rise in AgNPs loading against both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli bacterial strains by disc diffusion test (AATCC 147-1998). Halos for maximum AgNPs loading was calculated to 18.89 ± 0.15 mm for S. aureus and 21.38 ± 0.17 mm for E. coli. An initial burst release of silver elements within 24 h was observed in the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) test, and the release amounts were proportionally expansive with the increase in Ag contents. Our results demonstrated that such types of composite nanofibers have a strong potential to be used in biomedicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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12 pages, 2615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of TiO₂-Embedded Polyimide Layer with High Transmittance and Improved Reliability for Liquid Crystal Displays

by Seung-Rak Son, Jongil An, Jin-Wook Choi and Jun Hyup Lee

Polymers 2021, 13(3), 376; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13030376 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2047

Abstract

Construction of liquid crystal (LC) alignment by introducing polyimide (PI) to indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes is one of the main methods to realize high-resolution images in liquid crystal displays (LCD). However, the loss of transmittance caused by the difference in refractive index between ITO and PI leads to direct degradation of LCD performance. Thus, we herein fabricated a functional hybrid PI alignment layer that reduces the difference in refractive index and greatly increases the transmittance of the device by introducing inorganic titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles (NP) to the organic PI. The highly refractive TiO₂ NPs were surface-treated with stearic acid comprising long alkyl chains to improve their dispersibility and uniformly dispersed in the PI matrix by simply stirring the mixture. The hybrid PI mixture was spin-coated on the ITO substrate, and the resulting LC cell exhibited excellent electro-optical properties. In addition, the reliability of the LC cells was enhanced by the inclusion of the TiO₂ NPs, which was confirmed through the evaluation of voltage holding ratio, residual direct current, and LC cell reliability. Overall, functional hybrid PI can be used in advanced display technology for next-generation LC devices that require high transmittance and reliability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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17 pages, 1890 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticle Concentration in Green LED Light Active Dental Photopolymer

by Katalin Bukovinszky, Melinda Szalóki, István Csarnovics, Attila Bonyár, Péter Petrik, Benjámin Kalas, Lajos Daróczi, Sándor Kéki, Sándor Kökényesi and Csaba Hegedűs

Polymers 2021, 13(2), 275; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13020275 - 15 Jan 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2218

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) display surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as a result of their irradiation at a targeted light frequency. SPR also results in heat production that increases the temperature of the surrounding environment, affecting polymerization. The aim was to investigate the SPR effect of AuNPs on a dimethacrylate-based photopolymer system. The tested composites were designed to overlap the illumination required for the polymerization and the plasmon effect. The 5 nm-sized dodecanethiol capped AuNPs were applied in different concentrations in the matrix that were irradiated with green light (λ = 532 nm), where the Irgacure 784 photoinitiator also absorbs the light. The plasmonic effect was investigated for the refractive index change by surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) supplemented by ellipsometry. Moreover, optical transmission and transmission electron micrographs (TEM), diametral tensile stress (DTS), and confocal Raman spectroscopy was performed to determine the degree of conversion (DC) at 1.0, 1.4, and 2.0 mW/cm² light intensities. It was found that the optimal conditions were at 0.0208 wt% AuNPs concentration and 1.4 mW/cm² light intensity at which the refractive index change, DTS, and DC data were all maximal. The study confirmed that AuNPs are applicable to improve the polymerization efficiency of dental composite resin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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15 pages, 38413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction of Cadmium Ions by Hybrid Self-Assembled Multicore Type Nanobeads

by Gabriela Buema, Adrian Iulian Borhan, Daniel Dumitru Herea, George Stoian, Horia Chiriac, Nicoleta Lupu, Tiberiu Roman, Aurel Pui, Maria Harja and Daniel Gherca

Polymers 2021, 13(2), 229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13020229 - 11 Jan 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2363

Abstract

Novel hybrid inorganic CoFe₂O₄/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polymeric framework nanobeads-type adsorbents with tailored magnetic properties were synthesized by a combination of coprecipitation and flash-cooling technology. Precise self-assembly engineering of their shape and composition combined with deep testing for cadmium removal from wastewater are investigated. The development of a single nanoscale object with controllable composition and spatial arrangement of CoFe₂O₄ (CF) nanoparticles in carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as polymeric matrix, is giving new boosts to treatments of wastewaters containing heavy metals. The magnetic nanobeads were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and vibrational sample magnetometer (VSM). The magnetic properties of CF@CMC sample clearly exhibit ferromagnetic nature. Value of 40.6 emu/g of saturation magnetization would be exploited for magnetic separation from aqueous solution. In the adsorptions experiments the assessment of equilibrium and kinetic parameters were carried out by varying adsorbent dosage, contact time and cadmium ion concentration. The kinetic behavior of adsorption process was best described by pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir isotherm was fitted best with maximum capacity uptake of 44.05 mg/g. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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Review

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32 pages, 9628 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Amine-Surface Functionalization of Inorganic Adsorbents for Water Treatment and Antimicrobial Activities: A Review

by Nabil Bouazizi, Julien Vieillard, Brahim Samir and Franck Le Derf

Polymers 2022, 14(3), 378; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14030378 - 19 Jan 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3974

Abstract

In the last decade, adsorption has exhibited promising and effective outcomes as a treatment technique for wastewater contaminated with many types of pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and bacteria. To achieve such effectiveness, a number of potential adsorbents have been synthesized and applied for water remediation and antimicrobial activities. Among these inorganic adsorbents (INAD), activated carbon, silica, metal oxide, metal nanoparticles, metal–organic fibers, and graphene oxide have been evaluated. In recent years, significant efforts have been made in the development of highly efficient adsorbent materials for gas and liquid phases. For gas capture and water decontamination, the most popular and known functionalization strategy is the chemical grafting of amine, due to its low cost, ecofriendliness, and effectiveness. In this context, various amines such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), diethanolamine (DEA), dendrimer-based polyamidoamine (PAMAM), branched polyethyleneimine (PEI), and others are employed for the surface modification of INADs to constitute a large panel of resource and low-cost materials usable as an alternative to conventional treatments aimed at removing organic and inorganic pollutants and pathogenic bacteria. Amine-grafted INAD has long been considered as a promising approach for the adsorption of both inorganic and organic pollutants. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of surface modifications through amine grafting and their adsorption behavior under diverse conditions. Amine grafting strategies are investigated in terms of the effects of the solvent, temperature, and the concentration precursor. The literature survey presented in this work provides evidence of the significant potential of amine-grafted INAD to remove not only various contaminants separately from polluted water, but also to remove pollutant mixtures and bacteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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31 pages, 21268 KiB

Open AccessReview

CeO₂ Nanoparticle-Containing Polymers for Biomedical Applications: A Review

by Alexander B. Shcherbakov, Vladimir V. Reukov, Alexander V. Yakimansky, Elena L. Krasnopeeva, Olga S. Ivanova, Anton L. Popov and Vladimir K. Ivanov

Polymers 2021, 13(6), 924; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13060924 - 17 Mar 2021

Cited by 73 | Viewed by 8543

Abstract

The development of advanced composite biomaterials combining the versatility and biodegradability of polymers and the unique characteristics of metal oxide nanoparticles unveils new horizons in emerging biomedical applications, including tissue regeneration, drug delivery and gene therapy, theranostics and medical imaging. Nanocrystalline cerium(IV) oxide, or nanoceria, stands out from a crowd of other metal oxides as being a truly unique material, showing great potential in biomedicine due to its low systemic toxicity and numerous beneficial effects on living systems. The combination of nanoceria with new generations of biomedical polymers, such as PolyHEMA (poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-based hydrogels, electrospun nanofibrous polycaprolactone or natural-based chitosan or cellulose, helps to expand the prospective area of applications by facilitating their bioavailability and averting potential negative effects. This review describes recent advances in biomedical polymeric material practices, highlights up-to-the-minute cerium oxide nanoparticle applications, as well as polymer-nanoceria composites, and aims to address the question: how can nanoceria enhance the biomedical potential of modern polymeric materials? Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Nanoparticles–Polymers Hybrid Materials II)

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