Elaboration, activity and stability of silica-based nitroaromatic sensors.

Functionalized silica-based thin films, modified with hydrophobic groups, were synthesized and used as sensors for nitroaromatic compound (NAC) specific detection. Their performance and behavior, in terms of stability, ageing and regeneration, have been fully characterized by combining chemical characterization techniques and electron microscopy. NAC was efficiently and specifically detected using these silica-based sensors, but showed a great degradation in the presence of humidity.

Design of interpenetrated networks of mesostructured hybrid silica and nonconductive poly(vinylidene fluoride)-cohexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) polymer for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications.

Organic-inorganic hybrid membranes of poly(vinylidene fluoride)-cohexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) and mesostructured silica containing sulfonic acid groups were synthesized by using the sol-gel process. These hybrid membranes were prepared by in situ co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and an organically modified silane (ormosil) by a self-assembly route using organic surfactants as templates for tuning the architecture of the hybrid organosilica component. In this paper, we describe the elaboration and characterization of hybrid membranes all the way from the precursor solution to the evaluation of the fuel cell performances.

Hierarchically structured transparent hybrid membranes by in situ growth of mesostructured organosilica in host polymer.

The elaborate performances characterizing natural materials result from functional hierarchical constructions at scales ranging from nanometres to millimetres, each construction allowing the material to fit the physical or chemical demands occurring at these different levels. Hierarchically structured materials start to demonstrate a high input in numerous promising applied domains such as sensors, catalysis, optics, fuel cells, smart biologic and cosmetic vectors. In particular, hierarchical hybrid materials permit the accommodation of a maximum of elementary functions in a small volume, thereby optimizing complementary possibilities and properties between inorganic and organic components.

Towards large amounts of Janus nanoparticles through a protection-deprotection route.

Janus silica nanoparticles, regioselectively functionalized by two different chemical groups, were synthesized through a multistep procedure based on the use of a polystyrene nodule as a protecting mask.