High performance functional coatings, based on hybrid organic/inorganic materials, are being developed to combine the polymer flexibility and ease of processing with the mechanical properties and versatility of inorganic materials. By incorporating silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in the polymeric matrices, it is possible to obtain hybrid polymer films with increased tensile strength and impact resistance, without decreasing the flexural properties of the polymer matrix. The SiNPs can further be used as carriers to impart other functionalities (optical, ) to the hybrid films. By using polymer-coated SiNPs, it is possible to reduce particle aggregation in the films and, thus, achieve more homogeneous distributions of the inorganic components and, therefore, better properties. On the other hand, by coating polymer particles with silica, one can create hierarchically structured materials, for example to obtain superhydrophobic coatings. In this review, we will cover the latest developments in films prepared from hybrid polymer/silica functional systems.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5453198 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma7053881 | DOI Listing |
Small Methods
January 2025
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Marine Sensing Materials, College of Material and Chemical Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou, 350108, P. R. China.
The cost-effective and scalable synthesis and patterning of soft nanomaterial composites with improved electrical conductivity and mechanical stretchability remains challenging in wearable devices. This work reports a scalable, low-cost fabrication approach to directly create and pattern crumpled porous graphene/NiS nanocomposites with high mechanical stretchability and electrical conductivity through laser irradiation combined with electrodeposition and a pre-strain strategy. With modulated mechanical stretchability and electrical conductivity, the crumpled graphene/NiS nanocomposite can be readily patterned into target geometries for application in a standalone stretchable sensing platform.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Chem Lett
January 2025
Molecular Materials and Nanosystems & Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Reducing nonradiative recombination is crucial for minimizing voltage losses in metal-halide perovskite solar cells and achieving high power conversion efficiencies. Photoluminescence spectroscopy on complete or partial perovskite solar cell stacks is often used to quantify and disentangle bulk and interface contributions to nonradiative losses. Accurately determining the intrinsic loss in a perovskite layer is key to analyzing the origins of nonradiative recombination and developing defect engineering strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Chem Lett
January 2025
DST Unit of Nanoscience (DST UNS) and Thematic Unit of Excellence (TUE), Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India.
Clathrate hydrates (CHs) are believed to exist in cold regions of space, such as comets and icy moons. While spectroscopic studies have explored their formation under similar laboratory conditions, direct structural characterization using diffraction techniques has remained elusive. We present the first electron diffraction study of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and 1,3-dioxolane (DIOX) CHs in the form of nanometer-thin ice films under an ultrahigh vacuum at cryogenic temperatures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
January 2025
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
Currently, the development of polymeric hole-transporting materials (HTMs) lags behind that of small-molecule HTMs in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). A critical challenge is that conventional polymeric HTMs are incapable of forming ultra-thin and conformal coatings like self-assembly monolayers (SAMs), especially for substrates with rough surface morphology. Herein, we address this challenge by designing anchorable polymeric HTMs (CP1 to CP5).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLight Sci Appl
January 2025
Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
We propose and demonstrate a data-driven plasmonic metascreen that efficiently absorbs incident light over a wide spectral range in an ultra-thin silicon film. By embedding a double-nanoring silver array within a 20 nm ultrathin amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer, we achieve a significant enhancement of light absorption. This enhancement arises from the interaction between the resonant cavity modes and localized plasmonic modes, requiring precise tuning of plasmon resonances to match the absorption region of the silicon active layer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!