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The aim of this study is to provide a review on silanized composite performance when exposed in a complex wet aqueous environment and the role of titanium coupling agent as a more stable and reinforcement material in the construction of dental composites. Silanes are considered as the most dominant materials used for surface modification of the filler added to the polymer material in dental applications. Due to the presence of silica in the silane structure, so, the silane coupling agent were considered to be more effective in modifying materials which are consisting of silica because of the similarity in their ordered structure. Silanes are relatively characterized by dehydration inside the oral aqueous environment. On the other hand, titanate coupling agents are effective in serving at a wet environment, because its ability to react with the positive proton available on the surface of the filler (H+). TCAs are superior in performance in comparison to silane by creating a strong internal bonding between the filler and polymer matrix, and having a significant effect on the dispersion and resolving of particles agglomeration and good hydrolytic stability inside the mouth. This paper presents a comparative study between the effects of silane coupling agents against the TCAs performance in oral environment.

The design of astonishing combinations of benzoxazine resins with various fillers is nowadays of great interest for high quality products, especially in ballistic armors. The objective of this study is to investigate a new hybrid material prepared as multi-layered composite plate by hand lay-up technique. Different composites were manufactured from Kevlar fabrics reinforced polybenzoxazine, which was filled with silane treated microcrystalline cellulose (MCC Si) at various amounts in the interlayers. The developed materials were tested for their flexural, dynamic mechanical and ballistic performance. The aim was to highlight the effect of adding different amounts of MCC Si on the behavior of the different plates. Compared to the baseline, the dynamic mechanical and bending tests revealed an obvious decrease of the glass transition of 21 °C and a notable increase in storage modulus and flexural strength of about 180 %and17%, respectively, upon adding 1% MMC Si as filler. Similarly, the ballistic test exhibited an enhancement in kinetic energy absorption for which the composite supplemented with 1% MCC Si had the maximal energy absorption of 166.60 J. These results indicated that the developed panels, with interesting mechanical and ballistic features, are suitable to be employed as raw materials to produce body armor.

Highly transparent and super-wettable nanocoatings for multifunctional applications with outstanding physical properties are in high demanded. However, such nanocoatings resistant to water invasion and Ultraviolet (UV) weathering remain a significant challenge. In this work, physically durable coatings based on inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and an organic segment (isocyanate-silane modified surfactant) have been synthesized via a sol-gel approach. It is noteworthy the isocyanate-silane with –NH–C O- functional group creates a strong bonding between the highly hydrophilic surfactant and the inorganic NPs. This in-house synthesized organic segment can render the coating long-lasting wetting properties and resist to be washed away by water, while the inorganic NPs can form sturdy covalent bonds with the nano-scale hierarchical structure on the glazing substrate to improve the durability. This nanocoating demonstrates high transparency with superwetting property (water contact angle, WCA ​= ​4.4 ​± ​0.3°), effective de-frosting performance. Water invasion or UV accelerated weathering tests do not significantly affect the self-cleaning performance of nanocoating. Physical properties, including coating adhesion, hardness, Young's modulus, and abrasion resistance are systematically investigated. Interestingly, this clear coating shows prominent infrared shielding property attributed to Antimony-doped tin oxide (Sb-doped SnO2) NPs. The developed nanocoating process is easy to scale up for larger areas that require multipurpose self-cleaning functions.

The preparation of pH-responsive nanocontainers by typical silane modification of the mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) surface is usually high-cost, complex, and time-consuming, which remains a great challenge for effective corrosion protection of magnesium alloy. Here, a new strategy to construct pH-responsive nanocontainers (MSN-MBT@LDH) is demonstrated. The nanocontainers consist of corrosion inhibitor (2-mercaptobenzothiazole, MBT) loaded MSN core and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheet shell serving as gatekeepers. The successful loading of MBT and encapsulation by LDH nanosheets were confirmed by a series of characterization such as scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) and N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms. The pH-responsive feature of the nanocontainers was demonstrated by determination of the MBT concentration in buffer solutions with different pH values. A smart corrosion protection system on Mg alloy is obtained by incorporating the synthesized nanocontainers into a self-assembled nanophase particle (SNAP) coating. The electrochemical tests and visual observations show that the hybrid coating has the best barrier properties and robustness in corrosion protection in NaCl corrosive solutions in comparison with the control coatings. The present method simplifies the synthesis processes of nanocontainers and eliminates the potential detrimental effect of excess gatekeepers on the coating. The findings provide new insights into the preparation of scalable nanocontainers. The self-healing coatings are expected to have widespread applications for corrosion protection of Mg alloy and other metals.

Identifying the correlation between the physical and mechanical properties of the natural plant is important in material characterization by performing the statistical approach. The variation of a type of plant fibre would exhibit a wide range of material properties. The prediction of materials characterization is optimized when the significant elements is identified earlier. Pearson correlation coefficient is calculated from the measurements of physical and mechanical properties from experimental work such as flexural strength and flexural modulus of the composites. A Pearson correlation ruler is used to measure the level of the correlation between the variables. The level of the correlation is between a strong negative relationship and a strong positive relationship. The correlation between the variables is verified using a scatter diagram for each combination of the variables. There is a positive strong linear relationship between the diameter untreated kenaf composite and flexural modulus of kenaf composite with chemical treatment (0.5% silane) with a score of 0.888 of Pearson correlation coefficient. Another interconnection between diameters of (1% silane) kenaf composite with a flexural strength of kenaf composite (0.5% silane) score by 0.891. This finding proves there is an interconnection between the physical and mechanical properties of plant fibre according to the chemical treatment. Lastly, the result can assist researchers to predict significant variables from an experimental result that may optimize the cost and time for the laboratory work.

Silica nanosheets (SN) derived from natural vermiculite (Verm) were successfully incorporated into polyethersulfone–polyvinylpyrrolidone (PES–PVP) polymer to fabricate high–temperature proton exchange membranes (HT–PEMs). The content of SN filler was varied (0.1–0.75 wt%) to study its influence on proton conductivity, power density and durability. Benefiting from the hydroxyl groups of SN that enable the formation of additional proton–transferring pathways, the inorganic–organic membrane displayed enhanced proton conductivity of 48.2 mS/cm and power density of 495 mW/cm2 at 150 °C without humidification when the content of SN is 0.25 wt%. Furthermore, exfoliated SN (E–SN) and sulfonated SN (S–SN), which were fabricated by a liquid–phase exfoliation method and silane condensation, respectively, were embedded in PES–PVP polymer matrix by a simple blending method. Due to the significant contribution from sulfonic groups in S–SN, the membrane with 0.25 wt% S–SN reached the highest proton conductivity of 51.5 mS/cm and peak power density of 546 mW/cm2 at 150 °C, 48% higher than the pristine PES–PVP membranes. Compared to unaltered PES–PVP membrane, SN added hybrid composite membrane demonstrated excellent durability for the fuel cell at 150 °C. Using a facile method to prepare 2D SN from natural clay minerals, the strategy of exfoliation and functionalization of SN can be potentially used in the production of HT–PEMs.

Tapioca starch laminated composite foams were prepared from glyoxal crosslink-tapioca starch and polybutylene succinate (PBS) using corn husks as reinforcement by compression molding technique. Corn husk content was fixed at 1% of crosslinked starch. Both sides of corn husk were treated with silane coupling agents, tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) at 10% and thermo-coated with PBS films at different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) by molding at 160 °C. Effect of PBS thermo-coated corn husks on foam morphology, water resistance and mechanical properties were investigated. The SEM micrographs of coated composite foams showed a relatively smooth surface of composite but more cracks were observed as increasing PBS concentration due to thermal degradation of PBS during compressing molding. It was found that impact strength and water resistance of laminar composite foams were increased in thermo-coated with PBS films. Crosslinked tapioca starch laminar composite foams with 3% PBS coated corn husk showed the highest impact strength and water resistance. Thermo-coated method was able to apply to prepare coated PBS on crosslinked tapioca starch laminar composite foams, however thermal degradation of PBS occurred especially at a high concentration which results in poor properties of starch laminar composite foams.

We design an interpenetrating network of silane-functionalized nanocomposites to enhance particle dispersity and interfacial bonding strength in nanocomposites. To qualitatively measure the enhanced particle dispersity in the nanocomposites, we carry out rheological characterizations and suggest a simple particle dispersity index from the viscoelastic responses. Yield stresses of the nanocomposites are obtained by fitting with the Carreau-Yasuda model. After comparing the yield stresses and elastic moduli of the nanocomposites during photo-polymerization, we confirm that interphase regions significantly affect the interfacial bonding and mechanical strengths. Prediction of elastic moduli of the nanocomposites by the Mori-Tanaka micromechanics model agrees well with the experimental data, verifying that a good interpenetrating network exists between the nanoparticles and matrix.

In recent years, bio fibers (such as jute, hemp, flax, nettle, etc) are gaining more attention due their light weight, high specific strength, biodegradability, etc in various applications. Along with this, environmental issue is also an important aspect for maintaining sustainability of the bio fiber based composites. Failure occurs in bio fiber based polymer composites when they are applied to severe loading conditions and the material start degrading. To sustain the lifetime of the bio fiber composites, chemical treatment of the bio fiber is done to enhance the mechanical strength between the bonds so that the amount of stress transferability in the composites is equalized. The most important chemicals sources for the treatments are alkaline, silane, acetylation, benzoylation, acrylation, maleated coupling agents, permanganate, peroxide, isocyanate, stearic acid, sodium chlorite, triazine, derivatives of fatty acids (oleoyl chloride). The present study summarises the studies carried out on the environmental impact and various chemical treatments that were applied to bio fibers for enhancing their properties.

The cryogenic fluid storage and transfer have been an area of interest for space applications. Efficient and safe storage of cryogenic fuels like liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is very critical. This study focused on the suitability of (3- Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane as toughening agents for epoxy resin-based systems for cryogenic applications. We focused on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with triethylenetetramine (TETA) as a curing agent at cryogenic temperatures. (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane was mixed in Epoxy with the help of a magnetic stirrer and ultrasonicator. CFRP panels made of plain weave carbon fiber and silane modified epoxy were fabricated using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) technique. Samples were cut out as per ASTM standards, and Izod Impact test was conducted at room and cryogenic conditions. The toughness was witnessed to be improved at both room as well as cryogenic conditions. Silane successfully reduced the indigenous cross linking density of epoxy, which is making it brittle and stronger at the same time. Silane reduces the indigenous cross linking density of epoxy at cryogenic temperatures, which increases its toughness but at the cost of its overall strength. Also the mechanism of fracture and energy dissipation was studied and summarised using macroscopic fracture analysis and FTIR analysis.

The lack of the required mechanical strength and adequate biodegradation rate of calcium phosphate materials constitutes the most relevant drawback prohibiting their use for orthopaedic applications. One of the promising strategies to overcome this intrinsic limitation is the functionalization of these materials through the combination with specific functional groups. In this study, we investigated APTES (3-aminopropyl-triethoxy-silane) functionalization of a poorly crystalline apatite (PCA) and its further combination for the first time to chitosan (CS) to elaborate PCA-APTES-CS functionalized composite material. XRD patterns of the elaborated materials exhibit broad peaks typical of poorly crystalline apatite. FTIR spectroscopy showed, in addition to the PCA characteristic bands, bands assigned to silane alkyl groups and evidenced the success of functionalization process. The TGA analysis confirmed the attachment of 8 wt% of APTES and 3 wt% of chitosan within the composite. SEM microscopy and EDX silicon mapping demonstrated a homogeneous silane presence on functionalized apatite surface and showed that chitosan enveloped the functionalized apatite particles surface. The elaborated PCA-APTES-CS functionalized composites exhibited compressive strength similar to the spongy bone. The functionalized biocomposite will be investigated as potential biomaterial for orthopedic application.

In this study, NH2-MIL-101(Al) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) covered with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) were incorporated into the polyethersulfone (PES) to produce mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) for CO2 separation. The APTES functionalization was performed to improve the MOF dispersion in the PES matrix. Different analyses such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the MOFs surface successfully functionalized with APTES. An improvement in CO2/CH4 separation efficiency was observed in MMMs, and the performance shifted towards Robeson upper bounds. Notably, the membrane containing 10 wt.% S-MIL-5 (NH2-MIL-101(Al) functionalized with 5.0 mL of APTES) showed an increment in CO2 permeability (50%), and ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity (80%) compared to the PES membrane. The FTIR, TGA, FESEM, and DSC analyses constituted an excellent dispersion of MOFs within the PES phase, which led to significant development in gas permeability and selectivity.

The combination of the method for measuring of the number of active centers by quenching of polymerization by radioactive carbon monoxide with fractionation of polymers obtained by TREF method (temperature rising elution fractionation) to the separate fractions with different isotacticity has been used for determination of the number of active centers with different isospecificity (C Pi) responsible for the formation of Fi fractions as well as for calculation of propagation rate constants (kPi) for these centers. Data on the effect of catalyst composition on the CPi and kPi values have been obtained for the first time for polymerization with three types of titanium-magnesium catalysts with different internal stereoregulating donors (di-n-butyl phthalate – TMC-D, 2,3-di-iso-butyl-diethyl succinate – TMC-S, 9,9-bis(methoxymethyl)-fluorene – TMC-F) and for catalytic system TMC-D with external stereoregulating donor – cyclohexylmethyl(dimethoxy)silane. The possible structures of active centers with different isospecificity are discussed on the base of experimental data obtained on the CPi and kPi values.

In this study, we investigate the reaction mechanisms of precursor adsorption during the atomic layer deposition (ALD) using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and ideal-gas methods; herein, we considered adsorption of tris(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS) on a hydroxylated SiO2 surface to be the example for our investigation. When the reaction free energy is calculated, the DFT results obtained at 0 K suggest that the dissociation of a hydrogen atom from TDMAS is favorable upon TDMAS adsorption, which is inconsistent with the experimental results where one dimethylamino group is released. The experimental results can be accurately predicted when enthalpy and entropy changes are considered at elevated temperatures, thereby indicating the significance of finite-temperature effects in free-energy changes for solid-gas reactions. We analyze the changes in enthalpy and entropy and find that dimethylamine is a more favorable gaseous product than H2 owing to its larger translational and rotational entropy.

To effectively immobilize an enzyme while maintaining its high activity and stability, the design of supports with controlled geometric structures and heterogeneous surface properties is desirable. Towards this goal, heterogeneous titanium dioxide (TiO2) surfaces with controlled pore sizes were synthesized in this study and used to efficiently immobilize lipase. The immobilized lipase activity increased by a factor of 1.31 with an increase in the TiO2 pore size from 11.46 to 21.14 nm. The highest protein loading of 15.52 mg/g was achieved in ethenyl triethoxy silane (ETS)-modified TiO2 (E-P25) after immobilizing the enzymes at 30 ℃, pH 7.33 for 3 h and using a protein concentration in solution of 0.176 mg/mL. Among the different surface functionalities, the highest activity yield of 428.04 % was accomplished by using TiO2 calcinated at 650 ℃ and modified by ETS as immobilization support. The immobilized enzymes showed excellent storage stability and retained almost 95 % of their activity after being stored at 4 ℃ for 8 weeks. This research provides experimental evidence that highlights the importance of studying of enzyme immobilization on the supports with synergistically designed geometric structures and surface chemical properties.

A facile strategy for the fabrication of a carbon shell on Fe3O4 nanoparticles with a cluster structure has been proposed. Unlike the conventional solvothermal process using an autoclave, the proposed synthesis method could yield core-shell structured Fe3O4@C nanoparticles at low temperature and atmospheric pressure. This synthesis method was based on the chemical bonding among the terminal amine groups, introduced on the Fe3O4 surface, and carbonization by the catalytic reaction of glucose (carbon source) with sulfuric acid. The properties of the Fe3O4@C nanoparticles so obtained depended on the terminal amine groups that modified the iron oxide surface. The effects of the silane- and polymer-based amination on the fabrication of the carbon shell were investigated.

A low-cost hydrophobic mullite hollow fibre membrane (Hy-MHFM) fabricated via phase inversion/sintering technique followed by fluoroalkyl silane (FAS) grafting is presented in this study. The prepared CHFMs were characterized before and after the grafting step using different characterization techniques. The pore size of the CHFM surface was also determined using ImageJ software. The desalination performance of the grafted membrane was evaluated in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) using synthetic seawater of varying salt concentrations for 2 h at various feedwater temperatures. The outcome of the evaluations showed declines in the permeate flux of the membrane at increasing feed concentration, as well as increased flux with increased feed temperature. The long-term stability of the membrane was achieved at time 20 h, feed temperature 60 °C, and permeate temperature 10 °C, the membrane achieved a salt rejection performance of about 99.99 % and a water flux value of 22.51 kg/ m2 h.

The reactions of imino phenols 3,5-But2-2-HOC6H2CH=NX (X = 8-C9H6N, 2-MeO-5-MeC6H3 and 2-PhOC6H4) with Sc(CH2SiMe3)3(THF)2 in toluene proceed with silane elimination and reductive alkylation of the C N group affording dimeric base-free monoalkyl scandium complexes. X-ray analysis of the two complexes revealed their dimeric structures due to μ-bridging amidophenolato dianions. The complexes catalyze hydrophosphination of styrene, phenylacetylene and tolane with Ph2PH as well as dehydrogenative coupling of anisole with hydrosilanes.

Having excellent safety and potentially high energy density, solid-state electrolytes can be used in large-scale energy storage applications instead of flammable and volatile organic solvent-based electrolytes. Aerogels are notable candidates for solid-state electrolytes due to their low density, high porosity, high specific surface area, stable thermal behavior, and ultralow dielectric constant. In this work, Li-doped silica ionogels were synthesized by the two-step sol-gel method by using trifunctional organosilane Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), as silica coprecursor along with conventional precursor TEOS. In addition, 1,3-Butylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide (BMIMTFSI) was selected as an ionic liquid to provide ion mobility throughout the solid skeleton. The synthesized hybrid ionogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM, BET, and TGA analyzes. It was observed that the specific surface areas of the obtained ionogels varied between 685 and 725 m(2)/g. To examine the effect of Li+ ion concentration on ion conductivity, electrolyte solutions have prepared in different concentrations (0.5 similar to 2 M). The Li+ ion conductivity of the ionogel prepared with 2 M of Li+ ion solution (M-IGE-2) was determined as 4.06 x 10(-4) S/cm by Potentiostatic EIS measurement and it possessed 3.3V of electrochemical stability., Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUB.ITAK) [119M898], This work was financially supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUB.ITAK) under contract No: 119M898.

A durable waterborne coating with superhydrophobic function has great application in construction, wooden furniture, vehicles, electronic instruments, and leather finishes. Here, we exploit a facile and scalable strategy for constructing durable wood products with superhydrophobic, self-cleaning, and self-repairing properties through a microencapsulation approach, which includes sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate as a carrier, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as wall material, and vinyl triethoxy silane (VTES) as core material. The superhydrophobic character is attributed to the –CH3 in stearic acid molecules that successfully grafted onto zinc acetate to generate zinc stearate (ZnSt2), forming a micron flower-like arrayed on the surface of the wood. Combining an uncomplicated immersion and heat treatment route, the collapsed coating can be recovered and the surfaces with the superhydrophobic structure can be regained. This durable coating strategy has high application value in many fields, for instance, wooden furniture, wooden structure buildings, and the protection of historic sites.

Silicon carbide surface modification is still a challenging task. Its modification mechanism is also still unclear. This paper provides a study of the surface modification mechanism of KH5X0 (X = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) on the silicon carbide (111) using density functional theory. The electronic structures and densities of states of KH5X0 (X = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) on SiC surfaces indicates that the surface modification mechanism is attributed to the electronic effects of the functional groups of KH5X0 (X = 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). From the results the easier it is for a functional group to obtain electrons, the better the modifying performance of silane coupling agent will be. Furthermore, the interface energy results showed that silicon carbide (111) modification performance by KH580 silane and KH590 silane is better than KH550, KH560, and KH570. The present work provides theoretical guidance for the fabrication of SiC heat sink products.

The room and low-temperature performances of solid-state lithium batteries are crucial to expand their practical application. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) has received great attention as the most representative polymer electrolyte matrix. However, most PEO-based solid-state batteries need to operate at high temperature due to low room temperature ionic conductivity. Improving the ionic conductivity by adding plasticizers or reducing the crystallinity of PEO often compromises its mechanical strength. Here, an amorphous PEO-based composite solid-state electrolyte is obtained by ultraviolet (UV) polymerizing PEO and methacryloyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (KH570)-modified SiO2 which demonstrates both satisfactory mechanical performance and high ionic conductivity at room (3.37 × 10−4 S cm−1) and low temperatures (1.73 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 0 °C). In this electrolyte, the crystallinity of PEO is reduced through cross-linking, and therefore provides a fast Li+ ions transfer area. Moreover, the KH570-modified SiO2 inorganic particles promote the dissociation of lithium salts by Lewis acid centers to increase the ionic conductivity. Importantly, this kind of cross-linking networks endows the final electrolyte much higher mechanical strength than the pure PEO polymer electrolyte or PEO-inorganic filler blended systems. The solid-state LiFePO4/Li cell assembled with this electrolyte exhibits excellent cycling performance and high capacity at room and low temperatures.

Background Electroless plating is a simple and promising method to fabricate surface-metallization material, low rupture work of plated coating and complex production process become important factors that restrict its progress. Methods In this study, silane (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550) and γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH560)) was incorporated in AgNO3 solution to rational preparing Ag nanoparticle/polymer brush (Ag/PB) catalytic solution and its application in electroless deposition to fabricate adhesion-enhanced copper pattern for functional flexible electronics. Significant findings The epoxy group in the KH560 can react with amino group in the KH550 through direct ring-opening reaction to form secondary amino group and hydroxyl, which could co-adsorb Ag nanoparticle by means of chelating structure, which exhibited superior Ag/PB interfacial characterization. As a result, Ag/PB was established on polyethylene terephthalate surface to achieve the modification of substrate with excellent adhesion and the catalysis of electroless copper plating when the PB is a mixture of AgNO3 and silane (75% KH560 and 25% KH550). Both maximum effective thickness and rupture work of Cu-plated coating were improved with the incremental rate of about 30% and 33%, respectively.

To improve the performance of wheat straw/polylactic acid (WS/PLA) composites, four different silane coupling agents were used for constructing compatible interfaces and then examined by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and thermogravimetric analysis. The blending and tensile strengths of silane-modified composites were effectively enhanced, with KH-570-modified composite exhibiting the best blending and tensile strengths. Water resistance analysis of silane-modified composites was reduced and contact angles larger, indicating that water resistance performance of this composite had been effectively improved. The KH-570-modified composite exhibited the best water resistance performance. Strain scanning showed that, in the linear viscoelastic region, the storage modulus (G') of modified composite was larger than that of unmodified composites. Frequency scanning showed that the G' and complex viscosity (η*) of modified composites were greater than those of unmodified composites. From strain analysis and frequency scanning, the modified performance of the silane agent was observed to effectively improve composite interfacial compatibility, with KH-570-modified composite exhibiting the best effect. XRD analysis showed that silane coupling agent modification improved the crystallinity of composites with the improvement of KH-570 the best. And the thermal stability of silane-modified composites was improved and the thermal stability of KH-570-modified composite the best.

Atomic layer deposition and atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (ALD, ALCVD) of SiO2 films were investigated over a wide range of high temperatures (from 525 °C to 700 °C) using chlorine-free amino silane as the Si precursor and O3 as the oxygen reactant. The ALD window occurred at 550–600 °C. The growth per cycle (GPC) of the SiO2 films was about 1.14–1.58 A/cycle for deposition temperatures between 525 and 700 °C. There were no chlorine impurities detected in any of the deposited ALCVD films. Above a deposition temperature of 750 °C, the SiO2 films exhibited conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) behavior due to precursor decomposition, as evidenced by high GPC (5.51 A/cycle) and a significant impurity content (carbon 0.2 at% and nitrogen 0.4 at%). The SiO2 films had high film density (2.3 g/cm3), minimal roughness (rms ~ 0.16 nm). In addition, the wet etch rate (WER) of the SiO2 films decreased from 3.0 to 2.1 nm/min. The ALD SiO2 film at 600 °C exhibited excellent electrical performance, such as a leakage current density of 5.03 × 10−9 A/cm2 (at 3 MV/cm) and a breakdown field of 10.3 MV/cm.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) extracted from jute fibers are moderately high in length (up to 1200 nm) and diameter (up to 90 nm). Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide-co-3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) (pSiDm) is a custom made copolymer with trimethoxy silane groups at one end which facilitates to react with cellulose in an aqueous solution. A very simple, efficient, rapid, and eco-friendly method was developed to prepare j-CNC reinforced pSiDm hydrogel to remove methylene blue (MB) dye from an aqueous solution. The reaction between j-CNCs and pSiDm in the hydrogel was revealed by the increased intensity ratio of –OH band to C–H band and shifting of a peak for C=O from 1604 cm−1 to 1608 cm−1 in the FT-IR spectrum of the hydrogel compared to those of the copolymer. Glass transition temperature of the copolymer increases from 99 to 111 °C after being applied into the hydrogel. The prepared hydrogel showed a significant swelling at a ratio of 16 g/g in deionized water. In good accordance with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, a maximum adsorption value of MB onto the hydrogel was achieved 131.58 mg/g. Kinetic studies of the adsorption process fit well with a pseudo-second-order reaction model. The j-CNCs/pSiDm hydrogel is a moderately resilient and completely biodegradable material to be utilized for the adsorption of cationic toxic materials from waste effluent.

The mineral industry uses tremendous amounts of water every year in the processing of ores. Sustainable practices associated with the processing of ores are, therefore, of critical importance. The project described herein is the first step toward producing a dry, particle-separation process based upon control and exploitation of adhesive forces. In this research, the goal is to determine the surface energy of particles, and further, whether the solid surface energy can be used to understand the adhesion between these particles and surface-modified substrates. Glass spheres were chosen to represent silicate minerals, the most abundant type of minerals found in mineral deposits. The solid surface energy was found by using contact angle measurements and by applying the van Oss-Good-Chaudhury (VOGC) method. The VOGC method utilizes three-liquid triads to determine the Lifshitz-van der Waals, Lewis acid and Lewis base surface energy components. Surface energies from plasma-cleaned glass were between 40.2 and 60.2 mJ/m2; for the same glass with a hydrophobic chemical surface treatment, trichloro(octadecyl)silane (TCOD), the surface energy was between 20.8 and 20.9 mJ/m2; and for the glass with a hydrophilic chemical surface treatment (n1-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) diethylenetriamine (TMPA)) the surface energy was between 46.3 and 61.6 mJ/m2. The particle-substrate adhesion was also measured using a mechanical impact tester. Glass disks and beads were used, cleaned and surface treated with TCOD and TMPA. A custom horizontal impact tester was designed and used to measure the adhesion force between the glass spheres and a glass disk substrate. Impact of the disk/particle puck causes particle removal as tensile forces act on the particles. The tensile detachment force and adhesive force are equal at a critical particle size. Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) theory was used to determine the interfacial energy between the particles and the surface. The average interfacial energy of plasma cleaned glass, glass treated with TCOD and with TMPA were 44.8 mJ/m2, 21.6 mJ/m2, and 40.1 mJ/m2, respectively. These values are in good agreement with the literature values and with the interfacial energy determined using the VOGC method described above, demonstrating that two approaches compare favorably, despite the dramatically different methods (molecular vs mechanical) utilized.

Aim To assess bond integrity and modes of failure of metallic brackets to lithium disilicate ceramics (LDC) conditioned with Er,Cr:YSGG laser (ECL). Material and methods Sixty LDC were arbitrarily allocated into six groups (n = 15) according to the type of ceramic surface conditioning treatment. Group 1 surface treated with silane (S) only, group 2 surface etched with hydrofluoric acid (HF)+ S, group 3 surface conditioned with HF+ ultrasonic bath (UB)+ S, group 4 sand blasting (SB) of glass ceramic surface with 50 µm Al2O3, group 5 surface conditioned with self-etch ceramic primer (SECP) and in group 6 surface treated with ECL + S. After conditioning, the specimens were positioned in a universal testing device for shear bond strength (SBS) testing. Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) was used to determine sites of bond failure. Among experimental groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey multiple comparison test was used at a significance level of (p Results The highest SBS values were observed in group 3 HF+ UB + S (18.21 ± 1.241) and the lowest SBS values were displayed group 1 surface treated with S only (5.21 ± 0.23). Specimens surface conditioned in group 2 with HF+ S (17.85 ± 1.25), group 3 HF+ UB + S (18.21 ± 1.241) and group 6 ECL + S (17.09 ± 1.114) unveiled comparable SBS values (p > 0.05). Conclusion LDC conditioned with ECL at (4.5 W and 30 Hz) has a potential to be used in clinical settings alternate to HF acid.

The present work compares the performance of seven reaction models with respect to a large experimental dataset relevant to the high-temperature pyrolysis of both silane (SiH 4 ) and disilane (Si 2 H 6 ). Their performances were established based on different validation criteria that account for the shape and the amplitude of the validation profile. Then, the model performances were quantified with a global error, which accounts for the experimental uncertainties. The most satisfactory model has a global error as low as 3.1 (i.e., meaning 3.1 times higher than the experimental uncertainty) and the highest fraction (74%) of criteria with a low error ( 2 ), while most of the models have large discrepancies with the validation dataset, global error near 8 and up to 110 for the less accurate model. The origins of these discrepancies are identified with reaction pathway and sensitivity analyses. Among the seven tested model, three main decomposition pathways are evidenced, including one more specific to the models presenting the lowest errors. Based on the global error values, the ability to reproduce all the experimental conditions, and the model analyses, the reaction pathways relevant to the high-temperature pyrolysis of silane and disilane are determined. In addition, the present study provides experimental and numerical guidance for the future developments of silicon hydride reaction models. The limited performance of most of the oldest reaction models may have a significant impact on our current understanding of the pyrolysis and oxidation kinetics of silane.

The role of hydroxyl-functionalization of reduced TiO2 (Blue TiO2) for the photocatalytic oxidation of toxic NOx was systematically explored in the present study. A hydrogenation technique was used to reduce the rutile phase in P25 TiO2 giving rise to a Magneli phase. Then, the process was followed by the surface functionalization of the Blue TiO2 with Trimethoxy (Propyl) Silane (TPS). The fabricated nanoparticles were structurally characterized, and photocatalytically tested for NOx abatement. OH-functionalized Blue TiO2 showed strong photo-oxidation of NOx with NOx removal efficiency of 80.2%. The broad-band light absorption (UV and visible) and the formation of a higher number of radicals on the surface of OH-functionalized Blue TiO2 made the material more efficient than other samples. In addition, the lowest NO2 selectivity of 2.7% proved the effective suppression of toxic NO2 and formation of nitrate ions. The reusability test was carried out for five cycles of 1 ​h and had 10% loss in NOx removal efficiency. The role of surface OH groups for the oxidation of NO and NO2 has been discussed in this manuscript. A possible mechanism for NOx photo-oxidation is proposed based on FTIR, ESR, and ion chromatography test.

Practically adapted physical integration of silicon and carbon predominates as a viable solution to realize high energy density batteries, however, the composite structure is vulnerable to fracture. Here we report a molecular-level mixed silicon-carbon composite anode through thermal pyrolysis of silane and subsequent mechanical mill, entailed by electrochemical dissociation and reclustering of such disordered silicon-carbon bonds during the cycles. Lithium insertion induces heterolytic fission of the bonds into sub-nanometre silicon particles segregated by redox-active carbon framework validated by microscopy analysis and reactive molecular dynamics simulation. The embedded structure with a high packing density of silicon prevents detrimental electrochemical coalescence and direct contact to a liquid electrolyte to stabilize the interfaces, while three-dimensional (3D) carbon framework buffers large volume expansion of silicon to enable an extended full battery cycling.

Objective To synthesize and characterize a novel resin-based dental material containing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) surface-modified halloysite-clay nanotubes (HNTs) for long-term delivery of guest molecules. Methods The optimal concentrations of HNT (10, 15, 20 wt.%) and silane (0, 2, 4 vol.%sil) to be incorporated into the resin-based materials were determined (15 wt.%HNT, 4 vol.%sil) after assessment of the mechanical properties (DC%, degree of conversion; FS, flexural strength; FM, flexural modulus; and UTS, ultimate tensile strength). The HNTsil-powder was loaded with chlorhexidine (CHX) to evaluate the effect of the silanization on drug release. Resin-discs were prepared for the following groups: RES (resin), HNT (resin+15 wt.%HNT), HNTsil (resin+15 wt.%HNT silanized), HNT-CHX (resin+15 wt.%HNT loaded with chlorhexidine), HNTsil-CHX (resin+15 wt.%HNTsil-CHX), and 0.2 vol.%CHX (resin+0.2 vol.%CHX solution). Specimens were stored in water for 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 days at 37 °C. Aliquots from each time point and the final 15-day specimens were evaluated for the zone of inhibition (ZOI) against Streptococcus mutans. CHX release was analyzed using spectrophotometry at absorbance of 300 nm. Data were statistically analyzed (α = 0.05). Results All materials presented similar DC%. Reduced FS but increased FM was detected for 20 wt.%HNT–4%APTES. Groups with 15 wt.% and 20 wt.%HNT with/without APTES presented higher values of UTS. Agar diffusion data indicates that the HNTsil-CHX had a greater ZOI than all other groups over 15 days. HNTsil-CHX had the highest absorbance for day 1 but presented similar values to other groups every time point after. Significance Silanization of nanotubes followed by encapsulation of chlorhexidine is a promising technique for long-term delivery of guest molecules.

To investigate the influence of different surface treatments on biaxial flexure strength, roughness, and surface topography of lithium silicate/disilicate-based ceramics.225 discs (∅: 12 mm; 1.2 mm - ISO 6872) were made from three ceramics: IPS e.max CAD (LD - Ivoclar Vivadent), Suprinity (LSS - Vita) and Celtra Duo (LSC - Dentsply). The samples were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 15): no treatment (C); 10% hydrofluoric acid + silane (HF); sandblasting AlANOVA revealed that the "surface treatment" factor was significant for all ceramics (p0.05). The groups LD-HF (289.30 ± 40) LD-SEP (298. 87 ± 53.29), LSC-HF (195.51 ± 42.12), LSS-HF (269.58 ± 27.07) and LSS-SEP (207.45 ± 28.63) presented significantly higher biaxial flexure strength than respective control groups, except for the LSC-SEP (165.41 ± 33.86), which was statistically similar to the control. The Weibull modulus was significantly higher for the LD-SB, LSC-SC groups. Additionally, the LD-SB, LSC-SC and LSS-HF groups showed higher roughness compared to the other treatments.HF etching followed by silanization and self-etching ceramic primer are the most suitable surface treatments for lithium silicate/disilicate-based glass-ceramics.

Today, inkjet printing techniques has many merits such as high printing yield and mask-free process for the various field. As one of the candidate ink materials, the perovskite is appropriate for inkjet printing due to the colloidal state and excellent optoelectronic properties such as high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM). Those characteristics are an advantage to fabricating ink and realize wide color-gamut in the small area with micro-patterning. However, perovskite application in inkjet printing with various color has limitations due to the low drying stability of mixed halide perovskite. Herein, we report on improving the drying stability of red perovskite by inducing aggregation during the drying process. Silane ligand has applied to induce the aggregation, and we confirmed that the thin coating layer has formed on the perovskite surface. The synthesized red-perovskite using silane ligands is well dispersed in the solvent as a colloidal state. And it maintained the emission intensity over 50% after drying. As-prepared perovskite ink has successfully printed on the ethyl cellulose film with 338 dpi with maintaining transparency of the film. These results are beneficial not only display applications but also security applications such as double anti-counterfeiting.

The photo-performance and color uniformity of the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were enhanced by controlling the surface properties of the titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles as light scatting materials using a sol-gel-based surface modification method. Silane coupling agents of different carbon chain lengths (C3–C16) were introduced onto the TiO2 surface for investigating the light scattering effect depending on the TiO2 dispersibility in the encapsulant. The dispersibility of the modified TiO2 particles was greater than that of the as-prepared TiO2 particles (1.6–2.5 times). The dispersibility of TiO2 improved with the increasing carbon chain length of silane (C3–C6). However, the dispersibility did not increase but reduced when the carbon chain length was considerably long (C16) because the TiO2 surface was more hydrophobic than the encapsulant. After the fabrication of the LED devices, the TiO2-loaded LED device showed high photometric flux and low correlated color temperature despite using the same concentration of phosphor (3.0 wt.% with respect to the added silicone resin). Furthermore, the photo-performance and color uniformity improved when the TiO2 dispersibility was increased. This can be attributed to the enhancement of light scattering in the LED package when the interfacial affinity of the TiO2/encapsulant was improved.

The usage of natural fibers which are cheap and easily available is increasing day by day owing to its easy availability and eco-friendliness It is mainly used for its less weight and medium load applications These fibers were utilised for various applications such as automobile, structural etcThe current study deals with utilisation of Demostachya Bipinnata Fibers The selected fibers were retted After this these fibers were silane treated and the comparative study between the treated and untreated fibers was done Demostachya Bipinnata Fibers were developed and characterised for various physical, Chemical and tribological properties Pin on disc was used to examine the tribological properties as per ASTM G-99-05 standards Based on the results it can be concluded that the treated one showed better characteristics than the untreated one Scanning electronic microscopy were used to evaluate the crack formation, Primary and secondary plateaus.

In this research, a new class of treated metal fillers that can be used as reinforcements in polymer matrix composites have been developed. Surface modification of the tungsten metal particles is carried out using a suitable silane coupling agent. These composites are a modern type of alternative material to conventionally filled polymers. The peculiar properties of tungsten such as the highest melting point, highest tensile strength, and radiation resistance find application especially in the field of radiation shielding. Initially, the tungsten metal powder of 2 μm is treated with suitable silane i.e. 3-GlycidyloxyPropyl Tri Methoxy Silane (GPTMS) for improving the wettability of the tungsten metal fillers. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) was carried out to test GPTMS grafting on particles of tungsten. FTIR confirms the grafting of the silane coupling agent on tungsten particles. It also shows the reaction between these agents. TGA reveals the uniform coating of the silane coupling agent on the tungsten particles.

Surface morphology and Physico-mechanical properties of 25, 30, 35 and 40 wt. % of short basalt fiber (sBF) reinforced epoxy composite is presented in this paper. Density, hardness, tensile and flexural tests were performed to measure the physico-mechanical properties of each silane treated sBF/Ep composite. In general, up to a certain threshold , the tensile and flexural properties of the composite increased as the wt. % increased, post which, there was a decrease in strength and modulus. Mechanical test outcomes revealed that 35 wt. % silane treated sBF/Ep composites indicated 31% and 40% increase in tensile strength and flexural strength respectively. Inspection of tensile and three-point bend fractured surface of sBF/Ep composites showed better interfacial adhesion between the fiber and matrix. Finally, from the generated test data, it was presumed that 35 wt. % silane treated sBF/Ep composites gracefully and successfully improved the mechanical properties. These developed composites can be effectively utilized for various load-bearing components especially in automotive applications.

High-quality asphalt with a composite modifier is necessary for the high-grade pavement to meet the requirements. In this study, nano-organic palygorskite (O-PAL) was successfully prepared by acid activation and silane modification. O-PAL, together with styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) modified asphalt, was prepared by melt blending. O-PAL composite SBS modified asphalt can form a multi-phase homogeneous system with a spinodal strengthened structure, which can improve the properties of asphalt. 3 wt% O-PAL composite SBS modified asphalt showed excellent water stability; and the critical temperature of the modified asphalt increased up to 40% by adding O-PAL. O-PAL can not only reduce the aging of the asphalt matrix but also reduce the thermal decomposition oxidation of linear SBS. The anti-aging and storage stability performance of the composite modified asphalt is also improved by the addition of O-Pal. O-PAL and SBS are quite a good combination for modified asphalt in high-temperature and humid areas.

Heterojunction formation and morphology control have always been regarded as effective ways to improve the performance of visible-light-driven photocatalysts. In this study, a new facile strategy was applied to synthesize the Z-scheme GO/AgI/Bi2O3 heterojunction, where polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane (KH-570) were used to modulate the morphologies. Methyl orange and tetracycline hydrochloride were chosen as target contaminants to evaluate the photocatalytic properties of samples and the results revealed that 2% GO/AgI/Bi2O3 exhibited the best photocatalytic performance under visible-light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can mainly attribute to Z-scheme heterojunction formed by the deposing of AgI and GO as well as the sufficient heterogeneous interfaces resulted from the improved morphology, which have effectively promoted the separation and transfer of electron-hole pairs. To deeply realize the enhanced performance of GO/AgI/Bi2O3 photocatalysts, the reaction kinetics, trapping experiments and photocatalytic mechanism were deduced.

Non-hazardous, toxic-free, allergic-free and less cost-orientated methods are expected by the industries and the industrial workers for the better working-environment. In this work, an effort is made to achieve this expectation by integrating the concept of surface texturing and lyophobic wettability for anti-friction and self-lubrication purpose. Turning experiments are conducted on Al 6061 T6 material using Non-Textured (NT) Poly-Crystalline Diamond (PCD) insert, Cross-Chevron Textured insert (CCT), dip and drop based lyophobic wettability solutions filled texture inserts (TDI and TDR) under dry conditions. Lyophobic wettability was formed using amino silane functionalisation on the insert surface. Cross-chevron textures are engineered on the insert's rake face using Nd: YAG laser texturing machine. The experimental results observed with the lesser main cutting force and thrust force for the dip based lyophobic wettability insert than the non-textured, cross-chevron textured and drop based lyophobic wettability inserts.

Nanoparticles could improve the mechanical properties of polymer based composites due to synergy of higher filler-matrix interaction and better load transfer from matrix to the fillers. Epoxy resin has high strength and modulus, and good adhesion strength, which makes it attractive for several industrial applications. To improve interfacial bonding between epoxy and silicon dioxide (SiO2), surface treatment of SiO2 is done using acetone and silane coupling agents. To improve SiO2 dispersion in epoxy matrix, the epoxy matrix is modified by mixing with amine containing liquid rubber. Ultrasonication process has been used for uniform mixing of SiO2 in the modified epoxy resin. Carbon fabric reinforced epoxy (CF/Ep) composite with surface treated nano- SiO2 are fabricated using vacuum bagging technique followed by hot press. The effect of silane treated nano- SiO2 with varying filler loadings from 0.5 to 3 wt% on the static mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile, and flexural properties are characterized following ASTM standards. The experimental results show that the inclusion of silane coupling agent increased the interfacial bonding between nano- SiO2 particles and the epoxy resin so that the surface hardness, tensile and flexural properties are improved.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is an enlargement with abdominal aorta, identified as the life-threatening complication, particularly with men at the age over 60. Circulating biomarkers are playing a role to diagnose AAA and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was identified as the suitable biomarker for diagnosing conditions with AAA. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is the standard technique to detect the target, further, a suitable surface modification on the polystyrene (PS) ELISA surface leads lowering the detection limit. Herein, a potential bimolecular immobilization strategy was introduced by complexing silane-antibody or silane-gold-antibody for the efficient determination of MMP-9 detection. Further, sandwich pattern was followed to determine MMP-9 by poly- and mono-clonal antibodies and compared. Detection limit was found as 1 pM, which is much lower than conventional ELISA (1.5 nM) and 10 pM on silane-modified PS surface. Moreover, MMP-9 was also detected in human serum at 1:35 dilution, helps to quantify the level of MMP-9 for diagnosing AAA and its associated condition.

International audience; The laminar burning rate, the explosion peak pressure, and the pressure rise coefficient have been measured for the first time for silane-nitrous oxide-argon mixtures using the spherically expanding flame technique in a constant volume combustion chamber. For these three parameters, the values obtained were higher than for hydrogen-nitrous oxide-argon and typical hydrocarbon-based mixtures. A maximum burning rate of 1800 g/m2 s was measured at 101 kPa, whereas under similar conditions, a maximum burning rate around 950 g/m2 s has been reported for hydrogen-nitrous oxide-argon mixtures. To better understand the chemical dynamics of flames propagating in SiH4–N2O–Ar mixtures, a detailed reaction model from the literature was improved using collision limit violation analysis and updated thermodynamic properties calculated with a high-level ab initio approach. The reaction model predicts the burning rate within 14% on average but demonstrates error close to 50% for the richest mixtures. The chemistry of the H–O–N system is important under all the conditions presently studied. The chemistry of the Si–H–O–N system demonstrates an increasing importance under rich conditions. In particular, the reactions (i) forming SiOx(s); (ii) describing the interaction of Si-species with N2O; and (iii) involving silicon hydrides, have an important role for the heat release dynamics. The condensed combustion products formed in the silane-nitrous oxide-argon flames were sampled and characterized using electron micrograph, electronic diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. For all equivalence ratios, silica spherical particles with a mean diameter in the range 200–300 nm were observed. In addition, for mixtures with Φ ≥ 2.2, silicon nanowires were formed. X-ray diffraction experiments showed that the silicon nanowires are composed of metal silicon characterized by a cubic structure (lattice parameter: a=5.425Å) with the Fm-3m space group.

Silicon nitride (SiNX) is conventionally used as antireflection coating (ARC) on p-type Silicon solar cells. But synthesis of SiNX involves two toxic and highly flammable gases ammonia (NH3) and silane (SiH4). To overcome this, an alternative material instead of SiNx was investigated. Diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN) is such a material whose deposition as ARC follows less hazardous pathway and produces better performance in many respect compare to SiNX. DLN film is deposited by a radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (rfPECVD) process by using liquid precursor Hexamethyl disilazane (HMDSN) in argon (Ar) plasma. In this paper, the authors have compared electrical and optical parameters of multicrystalline silicon solar cells (mc-Si) for two different antireflection coatings SiNx and DLN. DLN film is characterized by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Optical properties are estimated by UV–Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. Electrical properties are measured by I-V simulator under 1.5 AM condition. The minimum reflection has been achieved 4.86% at 797 nm wavelength. The short circuit current density, JSC and open circuit voltage, VOC have been achieved from finished mc-Si solar cell are 32.54 mA/cm2 and 0.582 V respectively. Results prompt to conclude that DLN as ARC is comparable to SiNX. Thus silane and ammonia free DLN deposition as ARC, could be a good alternative of SiNX.

Efficient solar vapor generation has provided a feasible way to solve the water shortage in undeveloped and arid areas. However, some photo-thermal materials need additional large-volume support materials being harmful to carry around to obtain float capacity, while suppressing the solar steam generation. Herein, the decrease approach of surface tension was presented for solving the moist-environment degradation behavior of black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets and obtaining the self-floating capacity, thus applying BP nanosheets in solar vapor generation field. With the in situ cross-linking polymerization, trichloro(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl) silane successfully modified BP nanosheets (F-BP). Due to the significantly decreased surface tension, F-BP nanosheets are capable of self-floating easily on water surface and spreading out spontaneously. With assistance of desirable photo-thermal conversion capacity, self-floating BP nanosheets convert the incident photon into local heat, showing excellent vapor generation performance. With simulated sun illumination (1 kW/m2), 238.7 g/m2 BP nanosheets present the evaporation rate of ~0.9437 kg/(m2·h) and efficiency of ~64.63 ± 2.3%. Meanwhile, the super-hydrophobicity successfully imparts BP nanosheets with resistance to the deterioration caused by salt precipitation. The carriable F-BP nanosheets are an ideal photo-thermal convertor to produce drinking water, successfully providing a feasible way to solve water shortage in limited condition.

The present work investigates the effect of surface-treated SiO2 nanoparticles on the thermo-mechanical property of epoxy-composites. The surface interactions between the SiO2 nanoparticles and epoxy matrix were improved by surface treatment of SiO2 nanoparticle with different functionalization agents. Four functionalization agents namely 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPTMS), 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APTES), 3-(2-aminoethyl amino)-propyl trimethoxy silane (AEAPTMS), and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TMPM) were employed for the surface-treatment of SiO2 nanoparticles. No significant change in particle size of SiO2 was observed after surface-treatment, however significant improvement in mechanical properties was observed. It was observed that the percentage elongation and fracture toughness improved significantly with surface modification of the nanoparticles. Fracture toughness (K1C) and fracture energy (G1C) were calculated to be 5.62 MPa.m1/2 and 65.81 KJ/m2, respectively, for pristine silica-epoxy nanocomposite, whereas these values increase to 9.3 MPa.m1/2 and 124.27 kJ/m2 with the dispersion of GPTE treated 1 wt% SiO2 nanoparticles. The value of storage modulus was increased by 159.64% for GPMT modified SiO2 nanoparticles. Thus, surface-treated SiO2-epoxy nanocomposites exhibited improved thermo-mechanical properties.

Nano fibrillated cellulose (NFC) has turned into a material widely studied due to its desirable performance for numerous organic systems. Nevertheless, its surface is not very compatible with most organic systems; hence, chemical functionalization methods offer a path to solve this problem. In this study, NFC is successfully functionalized with two silane coupling agents: 3-glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPS) and 3-glycidyloxypropyl dimethylethoxysilane (GPMES) by a simple, direct, and environmentally friendly method. Different analyses have been carried out in order to confirm the chemical modification of NFC. ATR-IR, XPS, and 29Si NMR spectroscopies confirmed the chemical modification that allowed the understanding of the structure and the conformation onto the modified NFC surface. SEM and AFM microscopies were performed to study possible alterations in morphology; a slight change was observed. Thermal properties were also analyzed by TGA analysis. It remains stable after chemical functionalization. Grafted NFC showed good performance compared to the pristine one. It allows a better dispersion into organic systems improving their properties.

A series of silica-based bifunctional adsorbents containing both metal-chelating groups and epoxy groups for the concomitant purification and immobilization of His-tagged protein switch RG13, a potential bioreceptor for developing maltose biosensors, were prepared by controlling the ratio of iminodiacetic acid-conjugated silane (GLYMO-IDA) and silane (GLYMO) used for surface modification. The bifunctional adsorbent prepared with a [GLYMO-IDA]/[GLYMO] ratio of 0.2, containing a [metal chelating group]/[epoxy group] ratio of 1.42, was shown to exhibit a metal chelating capacity of 88.42 ± 15.91 μmole Cu2+/g, a protein adsorption capacity of 1.81 ± 0.19 mg/g and a superior selectivity over the other bifunctional adsorbents. Results of kinetic studies showed that selective adsorption and covalent bond formation at 4 °C were achieved in 1 h and 15 h, respectively, which allowed the sequential adsorption and covalent immobilization of protein switch RG13. A protein immobilization yield of 94.6 % and a global activity yield of 63.4 % were obtained, giving an immobilized protein switch RG13 with an enzymatic activity of 4.57 ± 0.19 U/g, under optimal conditions at pH 8.0 and 40 °C. In the repeated-batch operation, the bifunctional adsorbent-immobilized RG13 retained 91 % of the original activity after 20 cycles, 39 % higher than the counterpart prepared with monofunctional metal chelate adsorbent mediated solely by coordinate linkages.