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Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites
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Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2023) | Viewed by 35474

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Chih-Wei Chiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: synthesis of polymeric surfactants/dispersants; organic/inorganic nanohybrids; polymer nanocomposites; synthesis of multifunctional nanomaterials and their applications; graphene-based nanohybrids: synthesis; dispersion; applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chih-Chia Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan
Interests: polymer materials; supramolecular chemistry; optoelectronic materials; functional biomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jia-Wun Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Interests: synthesis of polymeric surfactants/dispersants; synthesis of polyurethane; polymer nanocomposites; design of polymer structure; membrane separation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nano-scale inorganic particles with large specific surface areas can impart various properties to polymer nanocomposites, such as improved thermal stability, mechanical properties, electrical properties, magnetic properties and optoelectronic properties. For the addition of inorganic nanoparticles, their properties are essentially passed on to the polymers. These nanomaterials include zero-dimensional (0D) nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, quantum dots, nano-scale metals, and nano-scale ceramic particles, one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials, such as nanorods and nanotubes, and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, such as sheet or layered 2D materials and graphene nanosheets. Each of these nanomaterials can be well-dispersed in the polymer matrix through chemical surface modification and physical blending. As the homogeneous hybrid of the inorganic particles in the polymer matrix determines whether the properties of the polymer nanocomposite material are excellent, scientists are researching the interface behavior between the nanoparticles and polymer matrix to improve the dispersion uniformity of composite materials. At present, polymer nanocomposites are used in several applications, such as thin film separators, drug carriers, biological stents, fuel cells, and solar cells. They are also applied in wearable device sensors, flexible sensing substrates, energy harvesting devices, pressure sensors, and vehicle-mounted devices owing to the sensing properties of nanocomposites. This Special Issue will collect innovative original research and review papers. It is hoped that this Special Issue can promote academic research exchanges and establish the high potential of this emerging field.

The topics of the Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

  • Polymer nanocomposites
  • Composite processing and manufacturing
  • Biomedical materials
  • Green energy
  • Coating materials
  • Membrane separation processes
  • Filtration and separation
  • Carbon allotropes
  • Magnetic materials
  • Piezoelectric materials
  • Quantum dots
  • Sensors
  • Barrier materials
  • Flexible hybrid electronics
  • Superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic hybrid materials
  • Energy storage materials

Prof. Dr. Chih-Wei Chiu
Prof. Dr. Chih-Chia Cheng
Dr. Jia-Wun Li
Guest Editors

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

  • polymer nanocomposites
  • nanofillers
  • nanoparticles
  • nanomaterials
  • carbon-based nanomaterials
  • colloid and interface science
  • homogeneous dispersion
  • nanotechnology

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Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 6274 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Effect of Hybrid Nanofiller on the Mechanical Performance and Surface Properties of Bio-Based Polylactic Acid/Polyolefin Elastomer (PLA/POE) Blend
by Nariman Rajabifar and Amir Rostami
Polymers 2023, 15(12), 2708; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15122708 - 16 Jun 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1358
Abstract
Polylactic acid has stood out among bio-based polymers for its usage in the food packaging industry and biomedical fields. Through the melt mixing process, the toughened poly(lactic) acid (PLA) was prepared with polyolefin elastomer (POE), incorporated via various ratios of nanoclay and a [...] Read more.
Polylactic acid has stood out among bio-based polymers for its usage in the food packaging industry and biomedical fields. Through the melt mixing process, the toughened poly(lactic) acid (PLA) was prepared with polyolefin elastomer (POE), incorporated via various ratios of nanoclay and a fixed amount of nanosilver particles (AgNPs). The correlation between the compatibility and morphology, mechanical properties, and surface roughness of samples with nanoclay was studied. The calculated surface tension and melt rheology confirmed the interfacial interaction demonstrated by droplet size, impact strength, and elongation at break. Each blend sample exhibited matrix-dispersed droplets, and the size of POE droplets steadily dropped with increasing nanoclay content, corresponding to the enhanced thermodynamic affinity between PLA and POE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) acknowledged that the inclusion of nanoclay in the PLA/POE blend ameliorated the mechanical performance by preferable localization in the interface of used components. The optimum value of elongation at break was acquired at about 32.44%, where the incorporation of 1 wt.% nanoclay led, respectively, to 171.4% and 24% enhancement rather than the PLA/POE blend with the composition of 80/20 and the virgin PLA. Similarly, the impact strength reached 3.46 ± 0.18 kJ m−1 as the highest obtained amount, showing the proximity of 23% progress to the unfilled PLA/POE blend. Surface analysis indicated that adding nanoclay caused the augment of surface roughness from 23.78 ± 5.80 µm in the unfilled PLA/POE blend to 57.65 ± 18.2 µm in PLA/POE contained 3 wt.% nanoclay. Rheological measurements implied that organoclay resulted in the strengthening of melt viscosity as well as the rheological parameters such as storage modulus and loss modulus. Han plot further showed that the storage modulus is always higher than the loss modulus in all prepared PLA/POE nanocomposite samples, corresponding to the restriction of polymer chains mobility induced by the formation of strong molecular interaction between nanofillers and polymer chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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29 pages, 18113 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Low-Velocity Impact Responses and Compressive Residual Strengths of GLARE and a 3DFML
by Ke Wang and Farid Taheri
Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1723; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15071723 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1327
Abstract
The impact performance and compression after impact characteristics of 2D and 3D fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are investigated both experimentally and numerically. Commercial-grade GLARE3A-3/2-0.3, and a recently developed FML, which incorporates a unique 3D glass fabric, are used in the study. Both FMLs [...] Read more.
The impact performance and compression after impact characteristics of 2D and 3D fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are investigated both experimentally and numerically. Commercial-grade GLARE3A-3/2-0.3, and a recently developed FML, which incorporates a unique 3D glass fabric, are used in the study. Both FMLs have similar areal densities. The specimens are subjected to impact loading at three energy levels—low, intermediate, and high. The test results indicate that GLARE is slightly more resilient under impact compared to the 3DFML. However, since GLARE is much thinner than the 3DFML, the two-material systems exhibit very different failure modes. GLARE and 3DFML lost up to 62.6% and 41.5% of their original compressive load-bearing capacity, respectively. Robust and accurate finite element models are developed that can predict the damage evolution and failure modes of both FMLs. Knowing the level of reduction in the residual load-bearing capacity of a material resulting from an impact is of practical importance when assessing the service life of materials. However, further exploration would be required to determine how the information obtained through testing relatively small-sized specimens in a laboratory environment can be extrapolated to larger real-life structural components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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14 pages, 5955 KiB  
Article
Research on Temperature-Switched Dopamine Electrochemical Sensor Based on Thermosensitive Polymers and MWCNTs
by Haixiu Wang, Zufei Feng, Fupeng Lin, Yan Zhao, Yangfan Hu, Qian Yang, Yiming Zou, Yingjuan Zhao and Rong Yang
Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15061465 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1204
Abstract
A temperature-controlled electrochemical sensor was constructed based on a composite membrane composed of temperature-sensitive polymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH). The sensor has good temperature sensitivity and reversibility in detecting Dopamine (DA). At low temperatures, the polymer is stretched [...] Read more.
A temperature-controlled electrochemical sensor was constructed based on a composite membrane composed of temperature-sensitive polymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH). The sensor has good temperature sensitivity and reversibility in detecting Dopamine (DA). At low temperatures, the polymer is stretched to bury the electrically active sites of carbon nanocomposites. Dopamine cannot exchange electrons through the polymer, representing an “OFF” state. On the contrary, in a high-temperature environment, the polymer shrinks to expose electrically active sites and increases the background current. Dopamine can normally carry out redox reactions and generate response currents, indicating the “ON” state. In addition, the sensor has a wide detection range (from 0.5 μM to 150 μM) and low LOD (193 nM). This switch-type sensor provides new avenues for the application of thermosensitive polymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 7831 KiB  
Article
Structural and Optical Characterization of g-C3N4 Nanosheet Integrated PVC/PVP Polymer Nanocomposites
by Alhulw H. Alshammari, Khulaif Alshammari, Majed Alshammari and Taha Abdel Mohaymen Taha
Polymers 2023, 15(4), 871; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15040871 - 09 Feb 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1669
Abstract
The present work considers the integration of g-C3N4 nanosheets into PVC/PVP polymer nanocomposites at ratios of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0 wt%. The XRD data scans showed semicrystalline structures for all PVC/PVP/g-C3N4 polymer blend films. The FTIR [...] Read more.
The present work considers the integration of g-C3N4 nanosheets into PVC/PVP polymer nanocomposites at ratios of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0 wt%. The XRD data scans showed semicrystalline structures for all PVC/PVP/g-C3N4 polymer blend films. The FTIR and Raman measurements revealed intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the g-C3N4 surface and the OH− groups of the PVC/PVP network. ESEM morphology analysis for PVC/PVP/g-C3N4 nanocomposite films displayed homogeneous surface textures. The data of TGA showed improved thermal stability as the decomposition temperature increased from 262 to 276 °C with the content of g-C3N4 (0.0–1.0 wt%). The optical absorbance data for PVC/PVP films improved after the addition of g-C3N4. The optical energy gaps showed compositional dependence on the g-C3N4 content, which changed from 5.23 to 5.34 eV at indirect allowed transitions. The refractive index for these blend films enhanced (1.83–3.96) with the inclusion of g-C3N4. Moreover, the optical susceptibility for these nanocomposite films increased as the content of g-C3N4 changed from 0.0 to 1.0 wt%. Finally, the values of the nonlinear refractive index showed improvement with the increased percentage of g-C3N4. When g-C3N4 was added up to 1.0 wt%, the DC conductivity improved from 4.21 × 10−8 to 1.78 × 10−6 S/cm. The outcomes of this study prove the suitable application of PVC/PVP/g-C3N4 in optoelectronic fiber sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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16 pages, 4330 KiB  
Article
Construction of Porous Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Polymers Based on Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane for Energy Storage and Hydrogen Production from Water
by Mohamed Gamal Mohamed, Mohamed Hammad Elsayed, Yunsheng Ye, Maha Mohamed Samy, Ahmed E. Hassan, Tharwat Hassan Mansoure, Zhenhai Wen, Ho-Hsiu Chou, Kuei-Hsien Chen and Shiao-Wei Kuo
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 182; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15010182 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 2512
Abstract
In this study, we used effective and one-pot Heck coupling reactions under moderate reaction conditions to construct two new hybrid porous polymers (named OVS-P-TPA and OVS-P-F HPPs) with high yield, based on silsesquioxane cage nanoparticles through the reaction of octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS) with different [...] Read more.
In this study, we used effective and one-pot Heck coupling reactions under moderate reaction conditions to construct two new hybrid porous polymers (named OVS-P-TPA and OVS-P-F HPPs) with high yield, based on silsesquioxane cage nanoparticles through the reaction of octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS) with different brominated pyrene (P-Br4), triphenylamine (TPA-Br3), and fluorene (F-Br2) as co-monomer units. The successful syntheses of both OVS-HPPs were tested using various instruments, such as X-ray photoelectron (XPS), solid-state 13C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. All spectroscopic data confirmed the successful incorporation and linkage of P, TPA, and F units into the POSS cage in order to form porous OVS-HPP materials. In addition, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption analyses revealed the thermal stabilities of OVS-P-F HPP (Td10 = 444 °C; char yield: 79 wt%), with a significant specific surface area of 375 m2 g–1 and a large pore volume of 0.69 cm3 g–1. According to electrochemical three-electrode performance, the OVS-P-F HPP precursor displayed superior capacitances of 292 F g−1 with a capacity retention of 99.8% compared to OVS-P-TPA HPP material. Interestingly, the OVS-P-TPA HPP showed a promising HER value of 701.9 µmol g−1 h−1, which is more than 12 times higher than that of OVS-P-F HPP (56.6 µmol g−1 h−1), based on photocatalytic experimental results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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21 pages, 7289 KiB  
Article
Efficient Physical Mixing of Small Amounts of Nanosilica Dispersion and Waterborne Polyurethane by Using Mild Stirring Conditions
by María Echarri-Giacchi and José Miguel Martín-Martínez
Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5136; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14235136 - 25 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1772
Abstract
Good dispersion of nanosilica particles in waterborne polyurethane was obtained by mild mechanical stirring when 0.1–0.5 wt.% nanosilica in aqueous dispersion was added. The addition of small amounts of nanosilica produced more negative Z-potential values, increased the surface tension and decreased the Brookfield [...] Read more.
Good dispersion of nanosilica particles in waterborne polyurethane was obtained by mild mechanical stirring when 0.1–0.5 wt.% nanosilica in aqueous dispersion was added. The addition of small amounts of nanosilica produced more negative Z-potential values, increased the surface tension and decreased the Brookfield viscosity, as well as the extent of shear thinning of the waterborne polyurethane. Depending on the amount of nanosilica, the particle-size distributions of the waterborne polyurethanes changed differently and the addition of only 0.1 wt.% nanosilica noticeably increased the percentage of the particles of 298 nm in diameter. The DSC curves showed two melting peaks at 46 °C and 52 °C, as well as an increase in the melting enthalpy. In addition, when nanosilica was added, the crystallization peak of the waterborne polyurethane was displaced to a higher temperature and showed higher enthalpy. Furthermore, the addition of 0.1–0.5 wt.% nanosilica displaced the temperature of decomposition of the soft domains to higher temperatures due to the intercalation of the particles among the soft segments; this led to a change in the degree of phase separation of the waterborne polyurethanes. As a consequence, improved thermal stability and viscoelastic and mechanical properties of the waterborne polyurethanes were obtained. However, the addition of small amounts of nanosilica was detrimental for the wettability and adhesion of the waterborne polyurethanes due to the existence of acrylic moieties on the nanosilica particles, which seemed to migrate to the interface once the polyurethane was cross-linked. In fact, the final T-peel strength values of the joints made with the waterborne polyurethanes containing nanosilica were significantly lower than the one obtained with the waterborne polyurethane without nanosilica; the higher the nanosilica content, the lower the final adhesion. The better the nanosilica dispersion in the waterborne polyurethane+nanosilica, the higher the final T-peel strength value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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22 pages, 4332 KiB  
Article
Improvement in Injection Molding Quality Performance with Innovative Cyclone Mixers Used in Polypropylene with Spherical Silicon Dioxide Composites
by Zhan-Xiang Hu, Chang-Chiun Huang, Amit Kumar Gope and Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo
Polymers 2022, 14(22), 4932; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14224932 - 15 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1531
Abstract
This research proposes an innovative design of a new cyclone mixer for the quality of polymer materials, and it presents a systematic optimization model of process parameters for plastic injection molding. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to [...] Read more.
This research proposes an innovative design of a new cyclone mixer for the quality of polymer materials, and it presents a systematic optimization model of process parameters for plastic injection molding. Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine the appropriate thermal properties of processing in order to select appropriate control factors and level values for a Taguchi orthogonal array. The injection molding machine was used to make sample test pieces for tensile strength, hardness and impact strength. Significant factors were found by the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio with an analysis of variation (ANOVA), and the single-quality optimal parameter combination was obtained. The reproducibility of the experiment was evaluated, and various quality weights were evaluated by principal components analysis (PCA). The multi-quality optimal parameter combination was found, and the comprehensive scores were compared. Finally, the process capability indices were combined with a multi-process capability analysis chart (MPCAC) to compare the process yields of cyclone mixing and screw mixing. The mechanical properties of products were evaluated to verify the performance of cyclone mixing and to provide perfect information for the injection molding quality performance of cyclone mixing and screw mixing. It was concluded that the overall quality of the cyclone mixing products is 42.72, and the total quality of the screw mixing products is 41.85. The total number of defects for the cyclone mixing is 9659 ppm, and that of the screw mixing is 10688 ppm. It can be seen that, for the overall product quality performance, cyclone mixing can be applied in the plastic injection molding process instead of screw mixing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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17 pages, 8074 KiB  
Article
Highly Thermally Conductive Epoxy Composites with AlN/BN Hybrid Filler as Underfill Encapsulation Material for Electronic Packaging
by William Anderson Lee Sanchez, Jia-Wun Li, Hsien-Tang Chiu, Chih-Chia Cheng, Kuo-Chan Chiou, Tzong-Ming Lee and Chih-Wei Chiu
Polymers 2022, 14(14), 2950; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14142950 - 21 Jul 2022
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3353
Abstract
In this study, the effects of a hybrid filler composed of zero-dimensional spherical AlN particles and two-dimensional BN flakes on the thermal conductivity of epoxy resin were studied. The thermal conductivity (TC) of the pristine epoxy matrix (EP) was 0.22 W/(m K), while [...] Read more.
In this study, the effects of a hybrid filler composed of zero-dimensional spherical AlN particles and two-dimensional BN flakes on the thermal conductivity of epoxy resin were studied. The thermal conductivity (TC) of the pristine epoxy matrix (EP) was 0.22 W/(m K), while the composite showed the TC of 10.18 W/(m K) at the 75 wt% AlN–BN hybrid filler loading, which is approximately a 46-fold increase. Moreover, various essential application properties were examined, such as the viscosity, cooling rate, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), morphology, and electrical properties. In particular, the AlN–BN/EP composite showed higher thermal stability and lower CTE (22.56 ppm/°C) than pure epoxy. Overall, the demonstrated outstanding thermal performance is appropriate for the production of electronic packaging materials, including next-generation flip-chip underfills. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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13 pages, 4401 KiB  
Article
SI ATRP for the Surface Modifications of Optically Transparent Paper Films Made by TEMPO-Oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers
by Jem-Kun Chen, Hsiang-Ya Huang, Cheng-Wei Tu, Li-Ting Lee, Tongsai Jamnongkan and Chih-Feng Huang
Polymers 2022, 14(5), 946; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14050946 - 26 Feb 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2469
Abstract
Applications of cellulose nanofibers currently match the demands of biodegradable and renewable constituent biocomposites. In this study, we studied the process of preparing TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs). These nano-sized cellulose fibers (ca. 11 nm) can be fabricated to high transmittance and optically transparent [...] Read more.
Applications of cellulose nanofibers currently match the demands of biodegradable and renewable constituent biocomposites. In this study, we studied the process of preparing TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs). These nano-sized cellulose fibers (ca. 11 nm) can be fabricated to high transmittance and optically transparent paper (OP) films. Then the OP films can be facilely immobilized initiating sites for the subsequent surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI ATRP). We investigated SI ATRP with styrene (St) kinetics and monitored chemical structure changes of the OP surfaces. The obtained OP-g-PSt significantly led to enhance thermal stability and alter the OP surface with hydrophobic compared to that of pristine OP film. Characterization was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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16 pages, 9067 KiB  
Article
Monothetic Analysis and Response Surface Methodology Optimization of Calcium Alginate Microcapsules Characteristics
by Joshua Anani, Hussien Noby, Abdelrahman Zkria, Tsuyoshi Yoshitake and Marwa ElKady
Polymers 2022, 14(4), 709; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14040709 - 12 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2672
Abstract
Owing to bio-polymer’s low-cost, environmental friendliness and mechanically stable nature, calcium alginate microcapsules have attracted much interest for their applications in numerous fields. Among the common production methods, the Electrospraying technique has shown a great potential due to smaller shape capsule production and [...] Read more.
Owing to bio-polymer’s low-cost, environmental friendliness and mechanically stable nature, calcium alginate microcapsules have attracted much interest for their applications in numerous fields. Among the common production methods, the Electrospraying technique has shown a great potential due to smaller shape capsule production and ease of control of independent affecting parameters. Although one factor at a time (OFAT) can predict the trends of parameter effect on size and sphericity, it is inefficient in explaining the complex parameter interaction of the electrospray process. In the current study, the effects of the main parameters affecting on size and sphericity of the microcapsules using OFAT were optimized to attain calcium alginate microcapsules with an average diameter below 100 µm. Furthermore, we propose a statistical model employing the Surface Responses Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CDD) to generate a quadratic order linear regression model for the microcapsule diameter and sphericity coefficient. Experimentally, microcapsules with a size of 92.586 µm and sphericity coefficient of 0.771 were predicted and obtained from an alginate concentration of 2.013 w/v, with a flowrate of 0.560 mL/h, a needle size of 27 G and a 2.024 w/v calcium chloride concentration as optimum parameters. The optimization processes were successfully aligned towards formation of the spherical microcapsules with smaller average diameter of less than 100 µm, owing to the applied high voltage that reached up to 21 kV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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14 pages, 3962 KiB  
Article
Immobilization of Air-Stable Copper Nanoparticles on Graphene Oxide Flexible Hybrid Films for Smart Clothes
by Peng-Yang Huang, Chen-Yang Huang, Jia-Wun Li, Sheng-Yen Shen, Chih-Chia Cheng, Chih-Wei Chiu, Ru-Jong Jeng and Jiang-Jen Lin
Polymers 2022, 14(2), 237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14020237 - 07 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2405
Abstract
Through the use of organic/inorganic hybrid dispersants—which are composed of polymeric dispersant and two-dimension nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO)—copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were found to exhibit nano stability, air-stable characteristics, as well as long-term conductive stability. The polymeric dispersant consists of branched poly(oxyethylene)-segmented esters of [...] Read more.
Through the use of organic/inorganic hybrid dispersants—which are composed of polymeric dispersant and two-dimension nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO)—copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were found to exhibit nano stability, air-stable characteristics, as well as long-term conductive stability. The polymeric dispersant consists of branched poly(oxyethylene)-segmented esters of trimellitic anhydride adduct (polyethylene glycol−trimethylolpropane−trimellitic anhydride, designated as PTT). PTT acts as a stabilizer for CuNPs, which are synthesized via in situ polymerization and redox reaction of the precursor Cu(CH3COO)2 within an aqueous system, and use graphene oxide to avoid the reduction reaction of CuNPs. The results show that after 30 days of storage the CuNPs/PTT/GO composite film maintains a highly conductive network (9.06 × 10−1 Ω/sq). These results indicate that organic/inorganic PTT/GO hybrid dispersants can effectively maintain the conductivity stability of CuNPs and address the problem of CuNP oxidation. Finally, the new CuNPs/PTT/GO composite film was applied to the electrocardiogram (ECG) smart clothes. This way, a stable and antioxidant-sensing electrode can be produced, which is expected to serve as a long-term ECG monitoring device. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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18 pages, 4319 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Polymer-Assisted Dispersion of Platinum Nanoparticles/Carbon Nanotubes Nanohybrid Films as FTO-Free Counter Electrodes
by Jia-Wun Li, Yu-Sheng Chen, Yan-Feng Chen, Jian-Xun Chen, Chung-Feng Jeffrey Kuo, Liang-Yih Chen and Chih-Wei Chiu
Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3103; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13183103 - 15 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2602
Abstract
In this study, polymer-assisted dispersants are used to stabilize the nanohybrids of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through non-covalent bond forces. These dispersants aim to replace the florine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass in traditional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as counter electrodes. The large [...] Read more.
In this study, polymer-assisted dispersants are used to stabilize the nanohybrids of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through non-covalent bond forces. These dispersants aim to replace the florine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass in traditional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as counter electrodes. The large specific surface area, high conductivity, and redox potential of PtNPs/CNT nanohybrids are used as the basis to utilize them as the counter electrode material to fabricate a dye-sensitized solar cell. The conductivity results indicate that the resistance of the PtNP/CNT nanohybrid film can be reduced to 7.25 Ω/sq. When carbon nanotubes are mixed with platinum nanoparticles at a weight ratio of 5/1, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSCs can reach 6.28%. When using the FTO-containing substrate as the counter electrode, its conversion efficiency indicates that the micro-/nano-hybrid material formed by PtNPs/CNTs also exhibits an excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency (8.45%) on the traditional FTO substrate. Further, a large-area dye-sensitive cell is fabricated, showing that an 8 cm × 8 cm cell has a conversion efficiency of 7.95%. Therefore, the traditional Pt counter electrode can be replaced with a PtNP/CNT nanohybrid film, which both provides dye-sensitive cells with a high photoelectric conversion efficiency and reduces costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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16 pages, 4063 KiB  
Article
LDPE/Bismuth Oxide Nanocomposite: Preparation, Characterization and Application in X-ray Shielding
by Saad Alshahri, Mohammed Alsuhybani, Eid Alosime, Mansour Almurayshid, Alhanouf Alrwais and Salha Alotaibi
Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3081; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13183081 - 13 Sep 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2995
Abstract
Recently developed polymer-based composites could prove useful in many applications such as in radiation shielding. In this work, the potential of a bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanofiller based on an LDPE polymer was developed as lead-free X-ray radiation shielding offering [...] Read more.
Recently developed polymer-based composites could prove useful in many applications such as in radiation shielding. In this work, the potential of a bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanofiller based on an LDPE polymer was developed as lead-free X-ray radiation shielding offering the benefits of lightness, low-cost and non-toxic compared to pure lead. Three different LDPE-based composites were prepared with varying weight percentages of Bi2O3: 5%, 10% and 15%. The characterizations were extended to include structural properties, physical features, mechanical and thermal properties, and radiation shielding efficiency for the prepared nanocomposites. The results revealed that the incorporation of the Bi2O3 nanofiller into an LDPE improved the density of the composites. There was also a slight increase in the tensile strength and tensile modulus. In addition, there was a clear improvement in the efficiency of the shield when fillers were added to the LDPE polymer. The LDPE + Bi2O3 (15%) composite needed the lowest thickness to attenuate 50% of the incident X-rays. The LDPE + Bi2O3 (15%) polymer can also block around 80% of X-rays at 47.9 keV. In real practice, a thicker shield of the proposed composite materials, or a higher percentage of the filler could be employed to safely ensure the radiation is blocked. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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13 pages, 4132 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Epoxy Composites Using Fumed Silica with Different Surface Treatment
by Kyung-Min Kim, Hoon Kim and Hyun-Joong Kim
Polymers 2021, 13(16), 2691; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13162691 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2608
Abstract
The objectives of this study are to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy/fumed silica composite with different surface treatments of fumed silica. The addition of silica nanoparticles improved the thermal stability of the composite and slowed down the pyrolysis process. The [...] Read more.
The objectives of this study are to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy/fumed silica composite with different surface treatments of fumed silica. The addition of silica nanoparticles improved the thermal stability of the composite and slowed down the pyrolysis process. The crosslinking density and Tg of the epoxy/fumed silica composites increased because of the interfacial interaction between the PDMS-treated fumed silica particles and the epoxy matrix. The flexural strength of the epoxy nanocomposite was very high even at a low silica content because of the strong interactions between the PDMS-treated fillers and the epoxy matrix. These strong interfacial interactions originate from the attractive forces between the polymer and the filler. Therefore, the polymer nanocomposite containing the PDMS-treated fumed silica is shown to be sufficiently commercially promising. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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Review

Jump to: Research

37 pages, 16772 KiB  
Review
Towards the Future of Polymeric Hybrids of Two-Dimensional Black Phosphorus or Phosphorene: From Energy to Biological Applications
by Avneesh Kumar and Dong Wook Chang
Polymers 2023, 15(4), 947; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym15040947 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2795
Abstract
With the advent of a new 2D nanomaterial, namely, black phosphorus (BP) or phosphorene, the scientific community is now dedicated to focusing on and exploring this 2D material offering elusive properties such as a higher carrier mobility, biocompatibility, thickness-dependent band gap, and optoelectronic [...] Read more.
With the advent of a new 2D nanomaterial, namely, black phosphorus (BP) or phosphorene, the scientific community is now dedicated to focusing on and exploring this 2D material offering elusive properties such as a higher carrier mobility, biocompatibility, thickness-dependent band gap, and optoelectronic characteristics that can be harnessed for multiple applications, e.g., nanofillers, energy storage devices, field effect transistors, in water disinfection, and in biomedical sciences. The hexagonal ring of phosphorus atoms in phosphorene is twisted slightly, unlike how it is in graphene. Its unique characteristics, such as a high carrier mobility, anisotropic nature, and biocompatibility, have attracted much attention and generated further scientific curiosity. However, despite these interesting features, the phosphorene or BP poses challenges and causes frustrations when it comes to its stability under ambient conditions and processability, and thus in order to overcome these hurdles, it must be conjugated or linked with the suitable and functional organic counter macromolecule in such a way that its properties are not compromised while providing a protection from air/water that can otherwise degrade it to oxides and acid. The resulting composites/hybrid system of phosphorene and a macromolecule, e.g., a polymer, can outperform and be exploited for the aforementioned applications. These assemblies of a polymer and phosphorene have the potential for shifting the paradigm from exhaustively used graphene to new commercialized products offering multiple applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Multifunctional Polymer-Based Nanocomposites)
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