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Special Issue "State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022"

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2022) | Viewed by 17168

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sergei A. Kulinich

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Guest Editor

Research Institute of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
Interests: superhydrophobicity; hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces; ice-phobicity; anti-icing; hydrophilicity; laser ablation in liquid; nanomaterials and their characterization; thin films and coatings; anticorrosive coatings on aluminum; conversion coatings on aluminum; chemiresistive gas sensors; semiconductor nanoparticles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Valery A. Svetlichnyi

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Technology, Siberian Physical-Technical Institute, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
Interests: high-power laser excitation; pulsed laser ablation; laser spectroscopy; nonlinear optics of dyes and crystals; synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials; photocatalysis; biomedical applications of nanoparticles; surface and sensoric properties of nanostructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Aleksandr Kuchmizhak

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Guest Editor

Institute of Automation and Control Processes of FEB RAS, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia
Interests: laser material processing; laser ablation in liquids; plasmonics; optical sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mitsuhiro Honda

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Guest Editor

Department of Physical Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8555, Japan
Interests: nanomaterials; plasmonics; photocatalysis; pulsed laser ablation in liquid; energy and environmental applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art of functional materials and nanomaterials in Asia. We invite research papers that will consolidate our understanding in this area. The Special Issue will publish full research articles and systematic reviews. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:

Synthesis of nanomaterials through novel methods;
Design and synthesis of molecular precursors for nanomaterials;
Colloidal synthesis of 0D nanoparticles (metal, oxides, sulfides, semiconductors, and so on);
2D materials, 1D nanofibers, and special nanostructured materials;
Nanostructured materials or composites for photocatalyst and electrocatalyst;
Fabrication of nanomaterials-based devices (solar cells, LEDs, batteries, supercapacitors, gas and light sensors, transistors, etc.);
In situ technology to investigate the reaction mechanism of nanomaterials in potential applications.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit manuscripts on the subject “State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022” for this Special Issue. Full papers and communications, as well as comprehensive reviews, are welcome. Please feel free to contact me, the guest editor, in case of further questions.

Prof. Dr. Sergei Kulinich
Dr. Valery A. Svetlichnyi
Dr. Aleksandr Kuchmizhak
Dr. Mitsuhiro Honda
Guest Editors

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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2300 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

novel nanomaterials
molecular nanostructures
physical, chemical, and biological methods for nanomaterial preparation
optical, photovoltaic, catalytic, sensing, antibacterial properties
structure-properties relationship
nanostructure
nanotechnology

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Biodegradable Polymer Nanosheets Incorporated with Zn-Containing Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Stanislav O. Gurbatov

Yosuke Okamura

Satoru Iwamori

and

Sergei A. Kulinich

Materials 2022, 15(22), 8101; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228101 - 16 Nov 2022

Viewed by 739

Abstract

So far, poly(L-lactic acid), PLLA nanosheets proved to be promising for wound healing. Such biodegradable materials are easy to prepare, bio-friendly, cost-effective, simple to apply and were shown to protect burn wounds and facilitate their healing. At the same time, certain metal ions are known to be essential for wound healing, which is why this study was motivated by the idea of incorporating PLLA nanosheets with Zn²⁺ ion containing nanoparticles. Upon being applied on wound, such polymer nanosheets should release Zn²⁺ ions, which is expected to improve wound healing. The work thus focused on preparing PLLA nanosheets embedded with several kinds of Zn-containing nanoparticles, their characterization and ion-release behavior. ZnCl₂ and ZnO nanoparticles were chosen because of their different solubility in water, with the intention to see the dynamics of their Zn²⁺ ion release in liquid medium with pH around 7.4. Interestingly, the prepared PLLA nanosheets demonstrated quit similar ion release rates, reaching the maximum concentration after about 10 h. This finding implies that such polymer materials can be promising as they are expected to release ions within several hours after their application on skin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Polyether Ether Ketone Coated with Ultra-Thin Films of Titanium Oxide and Zirconium Oxide Fabricated by DC Magnetron Sputtering for Biomedical Application

and

Sergei I. Tverdokhlebov

Materials 2022, 15(22), 8029; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228029 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 707

Abstract

Recently, polyether ether ketone has raised increasing interest in research and industry as an alternative material for bone implants. This polymer also has some shortcomings, as it is bioinert and its surface is relatively hydrophobic, causing poor cell adhesion and therefore slow integration with bone tissue. In order to improve biocompatibility, the surface of polyether ether ketone-based implants should be modified. Therefore, polished disc-shaped polyether ether ketone samples were surface-modified by direct current magnetron sputtering with ultrathin titanium and zirconium coatings (thickness < 100 nm). The investigation results show a uniform distribution of both types of coatings on the sample surfaces, where the coatings mostly consist of titanium dioxide and zirconium dioxide. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the crystalline structure of the polyether ether ketone substrates was not changed by the coating deposition. Both coatings are amorphous, as shown by X-ray diffraction investigations. The roughness of both coating types increases with increasing coating thickness, which is beneficial for cell colonization. The coatings presented and investigated in this study improve wettability, increasing surface energies, in particular the polar component of the surface energies, which, in turn, are important for cell adhesion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production over NiS-Modified Cadmium and Manganese Sulfide Solid Solutions

Ksenia O. Potapenko

Evgeny Yu. Gerasimov

Svetlana V. Cherepanova

Andrey A. Saraev

and

Ekaterina A. Kozlova

Materials 2022, 15(22), 8026; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228026 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 547

Abstract

In this work, new photocatalysts based on Cd_1−xMn_xS sulfide solid solutions were synthesized by varying the fraction of MnS (x = 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8) and the hydrothermal treatment temperature (T = 100, 120, 140, and 160 °C). The active samples were modified with Pt and NiS co-catalysts. Characterization was performed using various methods, including XRD, XPS, HR TEM, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was tested in hydrogen evolution from aqueous solutions of Na₂S/Na₂SO₃ and glucose under visible light (425 nm). When studying the process of hydrogen evolution using an equimolar mixture of Na₂S/Na₂SO₃ as a sacrificial agent, the photocatalysts Cd_0.5Mn_0.5S/Mn(OH)₂ (T = 120 °C) and Cd_0.4Mn_0.6S (T = 160 °C) demonstrated the highest activity among the non-modified solid solutions. The deposition of NiS co-catalyst led to a significant increase in activity. The best activity in the case of the modified samples was shown by 0.5 wt.% NiS/Cd_0.5Mn_0.5S (T = 120 °C) at the extraordinary level of 34.2 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ (AQE 14.4%) for the Na₂S/Na₂SO₃ solution and 4.6 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ (AQE 2.9%) for the glucose solution. The nickel-containing samples possessed a high stability in solutions of both sodium sulfide/sulfite and glucose. Thus, nickel sulfide is considered an alternative to depositing precious metals, which is attractive from an economic point of view. It worth noting that the process of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from sugar solutions by adding samples based on Cd_1−xMn_xS has not been studied before. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Femtosecond Laser Fabrication of Anisotropic Structures in Phosphorus- and Boron-Doped Amorphous Silicon Films

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Materials 2022, 15(21), 7612; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217612 - 29 Oct 2022

Viewed by 577

Abstract

Femtosecond laser-modified amorphous silicon (a-Si) films with optical and electrical anisotropy have perspective polarization-sensitive applications in optics, photovoltaics, and sensors. We demonstrate the formation of one-dimensional femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the surface of phosphorus- (n-a-Si) and boron-doped (p-a-Si) amorphous silicon films. The LIPSS are orthogonal to the laser polarization, and their period decreases from 1.1 ± 0.1 µm to 0.84 ± 0.07 µm for p-a-Si and from 1.06 ± 0.03 to 0.98 ± 0.01 for n-a-Si when the number of laser pulses per unit area increases from 30 to 120. Raman spectra analysis indicates nonuniform nanocrystallization of the irradiated films, with the nanocrystalline Si phase volume fraction decreasing with depth from ~80 to ~40% for p-a-Si and from ~20 to ~10% for n-a-Si. LIPSS’ depolarizing effect, excessive ablation of the film between LIPSS ridges, as well as anisotropic crystalline phase distribution within the film lead to the emergence of conductivity anisotropy of up to 1 order for irradiated films. Current–voltage characteristic nonlinearity observed for modified p-a-Si samples may be associated with the presence of both the crystalline and amorphous phases, resulting in the formation of potential barriers for the in-plane carrier transport and Schottky barriers at the electric contacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Pd-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs and Pt-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs Composite Materials: Morphology, Microstructure, and Catalytic Properties

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Materials 2022, 15(21), 7485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217485 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 544

Abstract

The composite nanomaterials based on noble metals, reducible oxides, and nanostructured carbon are considered to be perspective catalysts for many useful reactions. In the present work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used for the preparation of Pd-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs and Pt-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs catalysts comprising the active components (6 wt%Pd, 6 wt%Pt, 20 wt%CeO₂) as highly dispersed nanoparticles, clusters, and single atoms. The application of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) provided analysis of the samples’ morphology and structure at the atomic level. For Pd-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs samples, the formation of PdO nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of ~8 nm was shown. Pt-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs catalysts comprised single Pt²⁺ ions and PtO_x clusters less than 1 nm. A comparison of the catalytic properties of the samples showed higher activity of Pd-based catalysts in CO and CH₄ oxidation reactions in a low-temperature range (T₅₀ = 100 °C and T₅₀ = 295 °C, respectively). However, oxidative pretreatment of the samples resulted in a remarkable enhancement of CO oxidation activity of Pt-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs catalyst at T < 20 °C (33% of CO conversion at T = 0 °C), while no changes were detected for the Pd-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs sample. The revealed catalytic effect was discussed in terms of the capability of the Pt-Ce-O_x/MWCNTs system to form unique PtO_x clusters providing high catalytic activity in low-temperature CO oxidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Laser-Based Synthesis of TiO₂-Pt Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Generation

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Materials 2022, 15(21), 7413; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217413 - 22 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 556

Abstract

The development of visible-light active titanium dioxide is one of the key challenges in photocatalysis that stimulates the development of TiO₂-based composite materials and methods for their synthesis. Here, we report the use of pristine and Pt-modified dark titanium dioxide prepared via pulsed laser ablation in liquid (Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, 7 ns) for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from alcohol aqueous solutions. The structure, textural, optical, photoelectrochemical, and electrochemical properties of the materials are studied by a complex of methods including X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, electrophoretic light scattering, diffuse reflection spectroscopy, photoelectrochemical testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Both the thermal treatment effect and the effect of modification with platinum on photocatalytic properties of dark titania materials are studied. Optimal compositions and experimental conditions are selected, and high photocatalytic efficiency of the samples in the hydrogen evolution reaction (apparent quantum yield of H₂ up to 0.38) is demonstrated when irradiated with soft UV and blue LED, i.e., 375 and 410 nm. The positive effect of low platinum concentrations on the increase in the catalytic activity of dark titania is explained. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Textured Stainless Steel as a Platform for Black Mg₂Si/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells with Advanced Photovoltaic Performance

Alexander V. Shevlyagin

Vladimir M. Il’yaschenko

Aleksandr A. Kuchmizhak

and

Materials 2022, 15(19), 6637; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15196637 - 24 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1190

Abstract

This paper reports on a facile bottom-up method for the direct integration of a silicon (Si)-magnesium silicide (Mg₂Si) heterojunction solar cell (HSC) with a textured rear reflector made of stainless steel (SS). Modified wet chemical etching and post processing of SS substrates resulted in the formation of both a rough surface texture and diffusion barrier layer, consisting of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) with reduced optical reflection. Then, Si, Mg₂Si and CaSi₂ layers were stepwise thermally evaporated onto the textured SS surface. No traces of Fe and Cr silicide phases were detected by Raman spectroscopy, confirming effective suppression of impurity diffusion from the SS to the upper layers at least at temperatures required for Si deposition, as well as Mg₂Si and CaSi₂ formation. The obtained black-SS/Fe₃O₄/Si/Mg₂Si/CaSi₂ sample preserved, to some extent, its underlying textured morphology and demonstrated an averaged reflection of 15% over the spectral range of 200–1800 nm, while its prototype HSC possessed a wideband photoresponse with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 7.5% under AM1.5 illumination. Moreover, Si layers deposited alone onto a black-SS substrate demonstrated competitive antireflection properties compared with black Si (b-Si) obtained by traditional top-down etching approaches, and hybrid b-Si/textured-SS structures with a glue-bonded interlayer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Study of Semiconductor Properties for Bismuth Silicate-Based Photocatalysts Obtained via Hydro-/Solvothermal Approach

Anastasiia V. Shabalina

Ekaterina Y. Gotovtseva

Valery A. Svetlichnyi

and

Olga V. Vodyankina

Materials 2022, 15(12), 4099; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15124099 - 09 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 867

Abstract

Three bismuth silicate-based photocatalysts (composites of Bi₂SiO₅ and Bi₁₂SiO₂₀) prepared via the hydro-/solvothermal approach were studied using electrochemical methods. The characteristic parameters of semiconductors, such as flat band potential, donor density, and mobility of their charge carriers, were obtained and compared with the materials’ photocatalytic activity. An attempt was made to study the effect of solution components on the semiconductor/liquid interface (SLI). In particular, the Mott–Schottky characterization was made in a common model electrolyte (Na₂SO₄) and with the addition of glycerol as a model organic compound for photocatalysis. Thus, a medium close to those in photocatalytic experiments was simulated, at least within the limits allowed by electrochemical measurements. Zeta-potential measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to reveal the processes taking place at the SLI. It was found that the medium in which measurements were carried out dramatically impacted the results. The flat band potential values (E_fb) obtained via the Mott–Schottky technique were shown to differ significantly depending on the solution used in the experiment, which is explained by different processes taking place at the SLI. A strong influence of specific adsorption of commonly used sulfate ions and neutral molecules on the measured values of E_fb was shown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Segregation Behavior of Miscible PC/PMMA Blends during Injection Molding

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Materials 2022, 15(9), 2994; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15092994 - 20 Apr 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1130

Abstract

Miscible blends composed of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), in which one of them has low molecular weight, were employed to study the surface segregation behavior during flow. The blend samples showed typical rheological behaviors, such as simple polymer melts without a long-time relaxation mechanism ascribed to phase separation, demonstrating that they were miscible. After injection molding, the amounts of a low molecular weight component on the blend surface were found to be larger than the actual blend ratio. Because the injection-molded products were transparent despite a huge difference in refractive indices between PC and PMMA, they showed no phase separation. This result demonstrated that surface segregation of a low molecular weight component occurred under flow field, which expands the material design such as tough plastics with good scratch resistance and optical fibers with tapered refractive index. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Modifier Effect in Silica-Supported FePO₄ and Fe-Mo-O Catalysts for Propylene Glycol Oxidation

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Materials 2022, 15(5), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051906 - 04 Mar 2022

Viewed by 941

Abstract

Currently, catalytic processing of biorenewable raw materials into valuable products attracts more and more attention. In the present work, silica-supported FePO₄ and Fe-Mo-O catalysts are prepared, their phase composition, and catalytic properties are studied in the process of selective oxidation of propylene glycol into valuable mono- and bicarbonyl compounds, namely, hydroxyacetone and methylglyoxal. A comparative analysis of the main routes of propylene glycol adsorption with its subsequent oxidative conversion into carbonyl products is carried out. The DFT calculations show that in the presence of adsorbed oxygen atom, the introduction of the phosphate moiety to the Fe-containing site strengthens the alcohol adsorption on the catalyst surface with the formation of the 1,2-propanedioxy (–OCH(CH₃)CH₂O–) intermediate at the active site. The introduction of the molybdenum moiety to the Fe-containing site in the presence of the adsorbed oxygen atom is also energetically favorable, however, the interaction energy is found by 100 kJ/mol higher compared to the case with phosphate moiety that leads to an increase in the propylene glycol conversion while maintaining high selectivity towards C₃ products. The catalytic properties of the synthesized iron-containing catalysts are experimentally compared with those of Ag/SiO₂ sample. The synthesized FePO₄/SiO₂ and Fe-Mo-O/SiO₂ catalysts are not inferior to the silver-containing catalyst and provide ~70% selectivity towards C₃ products, while the main part of propylene glycol is converted into methylglyoxal in contrast to the Ag/SiO₂ catalyst featuring the selective transformation of only the secondary C-OH group in the substrate molecule under the studied conditions with the formation of hydroxyacetone. Thus, supported Fe-Mo-O/SiO₂ catalysts are promising for the selective oxidation of polyatomic alcohols under low-temperature conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessArticle

Tuning Collective Plasmon Resonances of Femtosecond Laser-Printed Metasurface

Dmitrii Pavlov

Alexey Zhizhchenko

Lei Pan

and

Aleksandr A. Kuchmizhak

Materials 2022, 15(5), 1834; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051834 - 01 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1218

Abstract

The optical response of properly excited periodically arranged plasmonic nanostructures is known to demonstrate sharp resonance features associated with high-Q collective modes demanding for various applications in light–matter interaction, filtering and sensing. Meanwhile, practical realization and replication of plasmonic platforms supporting high-Q modes via scalable inexpensive lithography-free approach is still challenging. Here, we justify direct ablation-free irradiation of Si-supported thin Au film by nanojoule-energy femtosecond laser pulses as a single-step and scalable technology for realization of plasmonic metasurfaces supporting collective plasmonic response. Using an adjustable aperture to control and upscale the size of the fabricated nanostructures, nanobumps and nanojets, we demonstrated plasmonic metasurface supporting collective resonances with a moderately high Q-factor (up to 17) and amplitude (up to 45%) within expanded spectral range (1.4–4.5 µm). Vacuum deposition of thin films above the as-fabricated nanostructure arrays was demonstrated to provide fine tuning of the resonance position, also expanding the choice of available materials for realization of plasmonic designs with extended functionality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessCommunication

Stability of Octadecyltrimethoxysilane-Based Coatings on Aluminum Alloy Surface

Alexey Y. Zhizhchenko

Anastasiia V. Shabalina

Ali A. Aljulaih

Stanislav O. Gurbatov

Aleksandr A. Kuchmizhak

Satoru Iwamori

and

Sergei A. Kulinich

Materials 2022, 15(5), 1804; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051804 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1428

Abstract

Long-term stability in contact with water of organosilane layers formed by octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODTMS) on polished aluminum alloy (AA2024) through dip-coating was studied by combining SEM, water contact angle measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Similar organosilane layers were formed on AA2024 coated with permanganate conversion coating, 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTSE) and hydrated SiO_x as under-layers, after which their long-term durability was also tested. During immersion in water for about one month, all the samples exhibited a decrease in hydrophobicity, implying the prepared organosilane layer was not stable over time, gradually hydrolyzing and letting water interact with the underlying layer. In parallel, SEM images of one-layer samples taken after immersion showed clear signs of local electrochemical corrosion, while XPS analysis confirmed a loss of silicon from the surface layer. The highest stability over time was demonstrated by a one-layer sample prepared in an ethanol/water bath for 5 min and by a similar ODTMS layer prepared on hydrated MnO_x as an under-layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: A Review on the Province of Its Compounds, Properties and Biological Applications

Priyannth Ramasami Sundhar Baabu

Hariprasad Krishna Kumar

Manju Bhargavi Gumpu

Jayanth Babu K

Arockia Jayalatha Kulandaisamy

and

John Bosco Balaguru Rayappan

Materials 2023, 16(1), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010059 - 21 Dec 2022

Viewed by 881

Abstract

Materials science and technology, with the advent of nanotechnology, has brought about innumerable nanomaterials and multi-functional materials, with intriguing yet profound properties, into the scientific realm. Even a minor functionalization of a nanomaterial brings about vast changes in its properties that could be potentially utilized in various applications, particularly for biological applications, as one of the primary needs at present is for point-of-care devices that can provide swifter, accurate, reliable, and reproducible results for the detection of various physiological conditions, or as elements that could increase the resolution of current bio-imaging procedures. In this regard, iron oxide nanoparticles, a major class of metal oxide nanoparticles, have been sweepingly synthesized, characterized, and studied for their essential properties; there are 14 polymorphs that have been reported so far in the literature. With such a background, this review’s primary focus is the discussion of the different synthesis methods along with their structural, optical, magnetic, rheological and phase transformation properties. Subsequently, the review has been extrapolated to summarize the effective use of these nanoparticles as contrast agents in bio-imaging, therapeutic agents making use of its immune-toxicity and subsequent usage in hyperthermia for the treatment of cancer, electron transfer agents in copious electrochemical based enzymatic or non-enzymatic biosensors and bactericidal coatings over biomaterials to reduce the biofilm formation significantly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessFeature PaperReview

2D Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Quantum Well Materials and Their Dramatical X-ray Optoelectronic Properties

Huiwen Chen

Yunlong Li

and

Dongfeng Xue

Materials 2021, 14(19), 5539; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14195539 - 24 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1742

Abstract

Two-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites (2D OIHPs) have attracted extensive attention in the field of X-ray detection due to their excellent stability compared to traditional three-dimensional OIHPs and the strong optoelectronic response to X-ray along the quantum wells. In this review, the nucleation and growth process as well as intermolecular forces for controlling out-of-plane growth are summarized along with the oriented growth mechanism. The optoelectronic properties in 2D OIHP under irradiation of X-ray are also discussed. Finally, conclusions and outlook for orientation 2D OIHP quantum wells and their challenges in application of direct X-ray detection are given. This review will provide a basic understanding on the strategy of designing 2D OIHP thick films as promising X-ray photoconductors, which may inspire the development of next-generation X-ray detectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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Open AccessReview

Utilization of Eco-Friendly Waste Generated Nanomaterials in Water-Based Drilling Fluids; State of the Art Review

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Materials 2021, 14(15), 4171; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14154171 - 27 Jul 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3121

Abstract

An important aspect of hydrocarbon drilling is the usage of drilling fluids, which remove drill cuttings and stabilize the wellbore to provide better filtration. To stabilize these properties, several additives are used in drilling fluids that provide satisfactory rheological and filtration properties. However, commonly used additives are environmentally hazardous; when drilling fluids are disposed after drilling operations, they are discarded with the drill cuttings and additives into water sources and causes unwanted pollution. Therefore, these additives should be substituted with additives that are environmental friendly and provide superior performance. In this regard, biodegradable additives are required for future research. This review investigates the role of various bio-wastes as potential additives to be used in water-based drilling fluids. Furthermore, utilization of these waste-derived nanomaterials is summarized for rheology and lubricity tests. Finally, sufficient rheological and filtration examinations were carried out on water-based drilling fluids to evaluate the effect of wastes as additives on the performance of drilling fluids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Functional Materials and Nanomaterials in Asia 2021–2022)

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