Synthesis and study of organo-modified silica based hydrogels: Rheological properties and drug release kinetics.

The method of synthesis of unmodified and organo-modified silica hydrogels and their composites with orotic acid as a model drug was developed. The hydrogels had a pH of 6.5-7.

The Low-Temperature Sol-Gel Synthesis of Metal-Oxide Films on Polymer Substrates and the Determination of Their Optical and Dielectric Properties.

Photoactive, optically transparent heterostructures from silver nanowires and titanium dioxide were obtained by the sol-gel method on the surface of a polyethylene terephthalate film. The characteristics of optical transmission on the wavelength and those of dielectric permittivity, conductivity and dissipation on frequency in the range of 25-1,000,000 Hz were investigated.

Polydimethylsiloxane Elastomers Filled with Rod-Like α-MnO Nanoparticles: An Interplay of Structure and Electrorheological Performance.

For the first time, electroactive nanocomposite elastomers based on polydimethylsiloxane and filled with rod-like α-MnO nanoparticles have been obtained. The curing of the filled elastomer in an electric field, resulting in the ordering of the α-MnO particles, had a significant effect on the degree of polymer crosslinking, as well as on the electrorheological characteristics of the nanocomposites obtained through this process, namely the values of the storage and loss moduli. The dielectric spectra of filled elastomers in the frequency range 25-10 Hz were analysed in terms of interfacial relaxation processes.

Electrorheological Properties of Polydimethylsiloxane/TiO-Based Composite Elastomers.

Electrorheological elastomers based on polydimethylsiloxane filled with hydrated titanium dioxide with a particle size of 100-200 nm were obtained by polymerization of the elastomeric matrix, either in the presence, or in the absence, of an external electric field. The viscoelastic and dielectric properties of the obtained elastomers were compared. Analysis of the storage modulus and loss modulus of the filled elastomers made it possible to reveal the influence of the electric field on the Payne effect in electrorheological elastomers.

Plasma-liquid synthesis of MoO and WO as potential photocatalysts.

Plasmas in contact with liquids represent a green chemistry method for the synthesis of metal oxides. In this work, underwater plasma was used for the synthesis of molybdenum and tungsten oxides. The obtained samples were analyzed by various techniques.

Surfactant-Switched Positive/Negative Electrorheological Effect in Tungsten Oxide Suspensions.

The electrorheological (ER) effect was experimentally observed in dielectric suspensions containing tungsten oxide (WO) modified with surfactant molecules (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecylamine (DDA)) in electric fields up to several kilovolts per millimeter. The dielectric properties of WO suspensions in silicone oil were analyzed, depending on the frequency of the electric field, in the range from 25 to 10 Hz. Unmodified WO suspensions, as well as suspensions modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate, were shown to exhibit a positive electrorheological effect, whereas suspensions modified with dodecylamine demonstrated a negative electrorheological effect.