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Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties...
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Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications

A special issue of Applied Nano (ISSN 2673-3501).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 30033

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Chemistry and Technology of Polymers and Colors, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: synthesis and characterization of polyesters; development of biobased polymers; biodegradable polymers; polymer composites and nanocomposites; synthesis and characterization of copolymers; polymer blends; recycling of polymers with various techniques; enzymatic hydrolysis studies; modification of natural polymers; polymers for wastewater treatment pollutant removal; polymers for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications; drug–polymer solid dispersions; drug targeting; drug nanoencapsulation and microencapsulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer nanocomposites is an emerging technological field offering high-performance materials with unique and innovative property combinations, ideal for numerous advanced applications. These include among others high-efficiency automotive and aerospace applications, food packaging, biomedical applications, drug delivery, biotechnology, wastewater treatment, environmental protection, advanced energy storage systems and electronic devices, gas/liquid barriers, fuel tanks, sensors, flammability reduction, chemical resistance, UV protective coatings, sports equipment, consumer goods and so on.  

The final properties as well as the suitable application of nanocomposites are directly depended on the used polymer matrix, the size and shape of the nanofillers, their used amount, their dispersion into the polymer matrix and the interfacial interactions. The highest effectiveness is usually achieved when nanoscale fillers are added in small amounts ranging from 0.5 up to 5 wt%. The individual properties of the nanofillers are also a crucial factor controlling the performance of the produced nanocomposites (improved mechanical strength, toughness, thermal stability, thermal conductivity, electrical properties etc.).

This special issue will welcome all kinds of research works focusing on nanocomposites applications: theory and experimental findings, property studies, along with future development. Emphasis will be given on the processing–structure–property relationships, as well as on recent trends towards the enhancement of their final properties. Review articles by experts in the field are also warmly welcome.

100% discount of Article Processing Charge will apply to the submissions accepted for publication in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris
Guest Editor

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. Applied Nano is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1000 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

  • Nanocomposites
  • nanoparticles
  • functional nanoparticles
  • surface properties
  • interfacial interactions
  • nanoparticles dispersion
  • hybrid nanocomposites
  • mechanical properties
  • thermal properties
  • thermal stability
  • thermal conductivity
  • electrical properties
  • gas barrier properties

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 217 KiB  
Editorial
Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications
by Dimitrios N. Bikiaris
Appl. Nano 2022, 3(3), 160-162; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano3030012 - 8 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2118
Abstract
Polymer nanocomposites are an emerging technological field offering high-performance materials with unique and innovative properties, ideal for numerous advanced applications [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 5686 KiB  
Article
Innovative Skin Product O/W Emulsions Containing Lignin, Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene Oxide Nanoadditives with Enhanced Sun Protection Factor and UV Stability Properties
by Nikolaos D. Bikiaris, Ioanna Koumentakou, Smaro Lykidou and Nikolaos Nikolaidis
Appl. Nano 2022, 3(1), 1-15; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano3010001 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4398
Abstract
In the present study, oil-in-water (O/W) sunscreen emulsions were prepared containing different portions of lignin (LGN), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoadditives. The stability in terms of pH and viscosity of emulsions was thoroughly studied for up to 90 days, [...] Read more.
In the present study, oil-in-water (O/W) sunscreen emulsions were prepared containing different portions of lignin (LGN), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoadditives. The stability in terms of pH and viscosity of emulsions was thoroughly studied for up to 90 days, exhibiting high stability for all produced O/W emulsions. The antioxidant activity of emulsions was also analyzed, presenting excellent antioxidant properties for the emulsion that contains LGN due to its phenolic compounds. Moreover, the emulsions were evaluated for their ultraviolet (UV) radiation protection ability in terms of sun protection factor (SPF) and UV stability. SPF values varied between 6.48 and 21.24 while the emulsion containing 2% w/v MWCNTs showed the highest SPF index and all samples demonstrated great UV stability. This work hopefully aims to contributing to the research of more organic additives for cosmetic application with various purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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11 pages, 3745 KiB  
Article
Low-Cost Nanostructured Thin Films as Covert Laser Readable Security Tags for Large-Scale Productions Tracking
by Laurent Gravier, Yves Salvadé, Damien Pidoux, Julien Maritz and Marco Laratta
Appl. Nano 2021, 2(4), 319-329; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano2040023 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3700
Abstract
We report here the feasibility study of anti-counterfeiting low-cost nanostructured flexible security tags for the tracking of large-scale fabrication products, such as pharmaceuticals or original equipment manufacturers. The fabrication process makes use of the mature nanotechnology called Template Synthesis to shape thin track-etched [...] Read more.
We report here the feasibility study of anti-counterfeiting low-cost nanostructured flexible security tags for the tracking of large-scale fabrication products, such as pharmaceuticals or original equipment manufacturers. The fabrication process makes use of the mature nanotechnology called Template Synthesis to shape thin track-etched polymer film into covert laser readable tags, combining random self-organized structures with organized patterns. Techniques are developed to drastically limit the number of fabrication steps and keep fabrication costs low, while opening to numerous adjustment parameters. A dedicated, simple optical setup is presented, to capture speckle images of such tags lightened up by light emitting diodes or laser beams. Speckle images are analyzed in terms of encoding parameters, found here quite numerous to ensure a large coding range of large-scale production batches. We particularly highlight ultra-dark areas in speckle images, where nanowire structures completely inhibit speckle patterns. This unique, high-contrast optical feature addresses these low-cost nanostructured thin films to provide a very promising solution for large-scale security tags. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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12 pages, 2512 KiB  
Article
Copper and Nickel Nanoparticles Prepared by Thermal Treatment of Their Respective Cations Confined in Nanopores through High-Pressure Synthesis
by Nancy Brodie-Linder, Johnny Deschamps, Marianne Bombled, Nicolas Pasternak, Fabrice Audonnet, Patricia Beaunier and Christiane Alba-Simionesco
Appl. Nano 2021, 2(3), 278-288; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano2030020 - 9 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3568
Abstract
A new and simple method for preparing confined copper and nickel nanoparticles by thermal treatment of their respective cations inside Mobil Composition of Matter 41 (MCM–41) hydrophobic nanopores is presented here. Surface modified MCM–41 hydrophobic materials were impregnated by using high-pressure treatment with [...] Read more.
A new and simple method for preparing confined copper and nickel nanoparticles by thermal treatment of their respective cations inside Mobil Composition of Matter 41 (MCM–41) hydrophobic nanopores is presented here. Surface modified MCM–41 hydrophobic materials were impregnated by using high-pressure treatment with copper II (Cu II) or nickel II (Ni II) aqueous solutions. After pressure release and washing, the remaining metal cations, confined exclusively within the nanopores, were heated, forming metallic nanoparticles. Reduction of the cations by a redox reaction between the hydrophobic organic surface and the confined metal cations is proposed. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), nitrogen (N2) adsorption at −196 °C (77 K), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses evidenced the identification of copper and nickel nanoparticles (NPs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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10 pages, 4634 KiB  
Article
Design of ZnO-Drug Nanocarriers against the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): An In Silico Assay
by Erik Díaz-Cervantes, Cristal Zenteno-Zúñiga, Vicente Rodríguez-González and Faustino Aguilera-Granja
Appl. Nano 2021, 2(3), 257-266; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano2030018 - 3 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3689
Abstract
The treatment of coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) is a principal aim worldwide that is required restore public health in the population. To this end, we have been studied several kinds of de novo and repurposed drugs to investigate their ability to inhibit the replication [...] Read more.
The treatment of coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) is a principal aim worldwide that is required restore public health in the population. To this end, we have been studied several kinds of de novo and repurposed drugs to investigate their ability to inhibit the replication of the virus which causes the current pandemic—the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, finding a vehicle that promotes the controlled dosage is vital for avoiding secondary effects. For this reason, the present work exposes a nanostructured carrier based on ZnO, which is coupled to three repurposed drugs (Chloroquine, Dipyridamole, and Lopinavir) to understand the chemical interaction of the formed composite. The designed composites are modeled and optimized using the DFT formalism. In obtaining exergonic adsorption energies, we found values between 0.582 to 2.084 eV, depending on the used drug. At the same time, the HOMO orbitals demonstrate the electronic overlap between the ZnO-Np and the Lopinavir, which is the molecule with the higher adsorption energy. Finally, we carried out a docking assay to investigate the interaction of free drugs and composites with the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2, finding that the coupling energy of the composites (at around to 0.03 eV) was higher, compared with the free drugs. As such, our results suggest a controlled dosage of the drug on the SARS-CoV-2 target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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15 pages, 22114 KiB  
Article
Versatile Silver Nanoparticles-Based SERS Substrate with High Sensitivity and Stability
by Mimi Liu, Anjuli Bhandari, Mujtaba Ali Haqqani Mohammed, Daniela R. Radu and Cheng-Yu Lai
Appl. Nano 2021, 2(3), 242-256; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano2030017 - 25 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6937
Abstract
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering has developed into a mature analytical technique useful in various applications; however, the reproducible fabrication of a portable SERS substrate with high sensitivity and good uniformity is still an ongoing pursuit. Reported herein is a rapid fabrication method of an [...] Read more.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering has developed into a mature analytical technique useful in various applications; however, the reproducible fabrication of a portable SERS substrate with high sensitivity and good uniformity is still an ongoing pursuit. Reported herein is a rapid fabrication method of an inexpensive SERS substrate that enables sub-nanomolar detection of molecular analytes. The SERS substrate is obtained by application of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)-based ink in precisely design patterns with the aid of an in-house assembled printer equipped with a user-fillable pen. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations show a 155-times Ag NP electric field enhancement for Ag nanoparticle pairs with particle spacing of 2 nm. By comparing the SERS performance of SERS substrate made with different support matrices and fabrication methods, the PET-printed substrate shows optimal performance, with an estimated sensitivity enhancement factor of 107. The quantitative analysis of rhodamine 6G absorbed on optimized SERS substrate exhibits a good linear relationship, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9998, between the SERS intensity at 610 cm−1 and the concentration in the range of 0.1 nM—1μM. The practical low limit detection of R6G is 10 pM. The optimized SERS substrates show good stability (at least one month) and have been effectively tested in the detection of cancer drugs, including doxorubicin and metvan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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15 pages, 4559 KiB  
Article
Effects of Expandable Graphite at Moderate and Heavy Loadings on the Thermal and Electrical Conductivity of Amorphous Polystyrene and Semicrystalline High-Density Polyethylene
by Panagiotis A. Klonos, Lazaros Papadopoulos, Dimitra Kourtidou, Konstantinos Chrissafis, Vasileios Peoglos, Apostolos Kyritsis and Dimitrios N. Bikiaris
Appl. Nano 2021, 2(1), 31-45; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano2010004 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3822
Abstract
In this work, we prepared and investigated two series of polymer composites, wherein the matrix was either an amorphous polystyrene (PS) or a semicrystalline high-density polyethylene (HDPE) filled with expandable graphite (EGr) at relatively high loadings within the range 5–55 wt %. For [...] Read more.
In this work, we prepared and investigated two series of polymer composites, wherein the matrix was either an amorphous polystyrene (PS) or a semicrystalline high-density polyethylene (HDPE) filled with expandable graphite (EGr) at relatively high loadings within the range 5–55 wt %. For the investigation we employed a thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry to assess the thermal transitions and evaluate the various polymer fractions (crystalline (CF), mobile (MAF) and rigid amorphous (RAF)) in addition to broadband dielectric spectroscopy and a laser flash analysis to evaluate the EGr effects on electrical conductivity, σ, and thermal conductivity, λ, respectively. In PS, EGr was found to impose an increase of the glass transition temperature and a systematic decrease of the corresponding heat capacity change. The latter was rationalized in terms of the formation of an interfacial RAF. No glass transition was recorded for HDPE whereas the fillers increased the CF moderately. As expected, σ increased with the filler loading for both matrices, up to 10−3–10−2 S/cm, resulting in a conductive percolation threshold for electrons at > 8 wt % EGr. Simultaneously, the λ of PS and HDPE were strongly increased, from 0.13 and 0.38 W·K–1·m–1 up to 0.55 and ~2 W·K–1·m–1, respectively. λ demonstrated an almost linear EGr loading dependence whereas the semicrystalline composites exhibited a systematically higher λ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocomposites with Different Types of Nanofillers and Advanced Properties for Several Applications)
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