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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 20354

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mohammad Jawaid

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Biocomposite Technology, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), University Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor 43400, Malaysia
Interests: nanomaterials; nanofillers; nanocellulose; smart nanocomposites; bio-nanocomposites; hybrid composites.
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The utilization of nanomaterials could play a role in enhancing the physiochemical stability of products, delivering active ingredients, and improving their final application. Nanomaterials have long attracted the attention of researchers and scientists due to their excellent properties, which can be applied in different areas. Nano-scale fillers are widely used for the design of various types of nanocomposites due to their versatile properties, abundance, environmental safety, and well-understood chemistry. Dispersion in a polymer matrix of nano-size fillers (nanoclay, graphene, carbon nanotubes, etc.) has been found to be an efficient and convenient way to improve the properties of polymeric materials for a range of diverse applications. Polymer nanocomposites, bio-nanocomposites, carbon nanocomposites, and nanocellulose-based composites can be designed by choosing suitable materials for a specific application, such as energy and environmental applications, packaging applications, cosmetics, and smart materials.

This Special Issue, entitled “Nanocomposites: From Design to Application”, aims to present a collection of articles explaining the design of nanocomposites for different applications by using different manufacturing and fabrication techniques. This Special Issue will focus on the synthesis, processing, properties, modeling, and applications of various nanocomposites. Original research articles, reviews, letters to the editor, and short communications are welcome.

Dr. Mohammad Jawaid
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Nano filler
Nano clay
Graphene
Graphene oxide
Carbon nano tube
Nano Carrier
Nano film
Nano cellulose
Nano hydrogel
Fabrication
Nanocomposite
Polymer Nanocomposites
Nanocarbon
Bionanocomposites
Environmental applications
Energy Applications
Smart Nanocomposites

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 4879 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optical Performance and Moisture Stability Enhancement of Flexible Luminescent Films Based on Quantum-Dot/Epoxy Composite Particles

by Guanwei Liang, Yong Tang, Jiarui Huang, Jiasheng Li, Yikai Yuan, Shu Yang and Zongtao Li

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(8), 2100; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11082100 - 18 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2746

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) have been widely applied in luminescent sources due to their strong optical characteristics. However, a moisture environment causes their quenching, leading to an inferior optical performance in commercial applications. In this study, based on the high moisture resistance of epoxy resin, a novel epoxy/QDs composite particle structure was proposed to solve this issue. Flexible luminescent films could be obtained by packaging composite particles in silicone resin, combining the hydrophobicity of epoxy resin and the flexibility of PDMS simultaneously. The photoluminescence and light extraction were improved due to the scattering properties of the structure of composite particles, which was caused by the refractive index mismatch between the epoxy and silicone resin. Compared to the QD/silicone film under similar lighting conditions, the proposed flexible film demonstrated increased light efficiency as well as high moisture stability. The results revealed that a light-emitting diode (LED) device using the composite particle flexible (CPF) structure obtained a 34.2% performance enhancement in luminous efficiency as well as a 32% improvement in color conversion efficiency compared to those of devices with QD/silicone film (QSF) structure. Furthermore, the CPF structure exhibited strong thermal and moisture stability against extreme ambient conditions of 85 °C and 85% relative humidity simultaneously. The normalized luminous flux degradation of devices embedded in CPF and QSF structures after aging for 118 h were ~20.2% and ~43.8%, respectively. The satisfactory performance of the CPF structure in terms of optical and moisture stability shows its great potential value in flexible commercial QD-based LED displays and lighting applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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17 pages, 7202 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Graphene Nanoplatelet-Nanosilica Filled Unidirectional Basalt Fibre Composites

by Ummu Raihanah Hashim, Aidah Jumahat and Mohammad Jawaid

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1468; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061468 - 01 Jun 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2798

Abstract

Basalt fibre (BF) is one of the most promising reinforcing natural materials for polymer composites that could replace the usage of glass fibre due to its comparable properties. The aim of adding nanofiller in polymer composites is to enhance the mechanical properties of the composites. In theory, the incorporation of high strength and stiffness nanofiller, namely graphene nanoplatelet (GNP), could create superior composite properties. However, the main challenges of incorporating this nanofiller are its poor dispersion state and aggregation in epoxy due to its high surface area and strong Van der Waals forces in between graphene sheets. In this study, we used one of the effective methods of functionalization to improve graphene’s dispersion and also introducing nanosilica filler to enhance platelets shear mechanism. The high dispersive silica nanospheres were introduced in the tactoids morphology of stacked graphene nanosheets in order to produce high shear forces during milling and exfoliate the GNP. The hybrid nanofiller modified epoxy polymers were impregnated into BF to evaluate the mechanical properties of the basalt fibre reinforced polymeric (BFRP) system under tensile, compression, flexural, and drop-weight impact tests. In response to the synergistic effect of zero-dimensional nanosilica and two-dimensional graphene nanoplatelets enhanced the mechanical properties of BFRP, especially in Basalt fibre + 0.2 wt% GNP/15 wt% NS (BF-H0.2) with the highest increment in modulus and strength to compare with unmodified BF. These findings also revealed that the incorporation of hybrid nanofiller contributed to the improvement in the mechanical properties of the composite. BF has huge potential as an alternative to the synthetic glass fibre for the fabrication of mechanical components and structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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13 pages, 2996 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Graphene Oxide-Reinforced Ti6Al4V Matrix Composite Fabricated Using Spark Plasma Sintering

by Ying Song, Weiwei Liu, Yufeng Sun, Shaokang Guan and Yao Chen

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1440; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061440 - 29 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2456

Abstract

To achieve a further reduction in weight of titanium alloys and to satisfy the increasing demand of energy-saving for aerospace and automotive applications, a graphene oxide nanosheet-reinforced Ti6Al4V (GO/TC4) composite was successfully fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS). Contrary to the Widmanstätten microstructure of a monolithic TC4 sample, the microstructure of the composites displayed a typical basket-weave structure in virtue of the introduced residual tensile stress generated from the mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between GO and TC4 during the phase transformation. Meanwhile, the in situ-formed TiC nanolayer and diffusion layer were identified at the GO–TC4 interface, which is expected to endow a stronger interfacial bonding. As compared with the TC4 sample, the TC4 composite with the addition of 0.27 wt.% GO exhibited a 0.2% yield strength of 921.8 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 1040.1 MPa, and an elongation of 5.3%, displaying a better balance of strength and ductility than that of the composite with a higher GO addition (0.54 wt.%). The synergetic strengthening mechanisms such as Orowan strengthening, enhanced dislocation density strengthening, and load transfer were confirmed. Among them, load transfer contributed greatly to the strength of the composites due to improved interfacial bonding between the GO fillers and TC4 matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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22 pages, 9010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Naturally Sourced Mineral Clays for the 3D Printing of Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposite Inks

by Rebeca Leu Alexa, Horia Iovu, Bogdan Trica, Catalin Zaharia, Andrada Serafim, Elvira Alexandrescu, Ionut-Cristian Radu, George Vlasceanu, Silviu Preda, Claudia Mihaela Ninciuleanu and Raluca Ianchis

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(3), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11030703 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3158

Abstract

The present study investigated the possibility of obtaining 3D printed composite constructs using biomaterial-based nanocomposite inks. The biopolymeric matrix consisted of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA). Several types of nanoclay were added as the inorganic component. Our aim was to investigate the influence of clay type on the rheological behavior of ink formulations and to determine the morphological and structural properties of the resulting crosslinked hydrogel-based nanomaterials. Moreover, through the inclusion of nanoclays, our goal was to improve the printability and shape fidelity of nanocomposite scaffolds. The viscosity of all ink formulations was greater in the presence of inorganic nanoparticles as shear thinning occurred with increased shear rate. Hydrogel nanocomposites presented predominantly elastic rather than viscous behavior as the materials were crosslinked which led to improved mechanical properties. The inclusion of nanoclays in the biopolymeric matrix limited hydrogel swelling due the physical barrier effect but also because of the supplementary crosslinks induced by the clay layers. The distribution of inorganic filler within the GelMA-based hydrogels led to higher porosities as a consequence of their interaction with the biopolymeric ink. The present study could be useful for the development of soft nanomaterials foreseen for the additive manufacturing of customized implants for tissue engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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21 pages, 20149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties and Characterization of Lignin Nanoparticles Functionalized in Macroalgae Biopolymer Films

by Samsul Rizal, Tata Alfatah, Abdul Khalil H. P. S., E. M. Mistar, C. K. Abdullah, Funmilayo G. Olaiya, F. A. Sabaruddin, Ikramullah and Umar Muksin

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(3), 637; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11030637 - 04 Mar 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3339

Abstract

The demand for bioplastic material for industrial applications is increasing. However, moisture absorption and low mechanical strength have limited the use of bioplastic in commercial-scale applications. Macroalgae is no exception to these challenges of bioplastics. In this study, Kappaphycus alvarezii macroalgae were reinforced with lignin nanoparticles. Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were used as a filler to reduce the brittleness and hydrophilic nature of macroalgae (matrix). Lignin nanofiller was produced using a green approach from black liquor of soda pulping waste and purified. The physical, mechanical, morphological, structural, thermal, and water barrier properties of LNPs with and without the purification process in macroalgae films were studied. The bioplastic films’ functional properties, such as physical, mechanical, thermal, and water barrier properties, were significantly improved by incorporating purified and unpurified LNPs. However, the purified LNPs have a greater reinforcement effect on the macroalgae than unpurified LNPs. In this study, bioplastic film with 5% purified LNPs presented the optimum enhancement on almost all the functional properties. The enhancement is attributed to high compatibility due to strong interfacial interaction between the nanofiller and matrix. The developed LNPs/macroalgae bioplastic films can provide additional benefits and solutions to various industrial applications, especially packaging material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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Review

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17 pages, 8282 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advancement in Graphene-Based Materials and Their Nacre Inspired Composites for Armour Applications—A Review

by Jesuarockiam Naveen, Mohammad Jawaid, Kheng Lim Goh, Degalhal Mallikarjuna Reddy, Chandrasekar Muthukumar, Tamil Moli Loganathan and Koduri Naga Ganapathy Lakshmi Reshwanth

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(5), 1239; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11051239 - 08 May 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4107

Abstract

The development of armour systems with higher ballistic resistance and light weight has gained considerable attention as an increasing number of countries are recognising the need to build up advanced self-defence system to deter potential military conflicts and threats. Graphene is a two dimensional one-atom thick nanomaterial which possesses excellent tensile strength (130 GPa) and specific penetration energy (10 times higher than steel). It is also lightweight, tough and stiff and is expected to replace the current aramid fibre-based polymer composites. Currently, insights derived from the study of the nacre (natural armour system) are finding applications on the development of artificial nacre structures using graphene-based materials that can achieve high toughness and energy dissipation. The aim of this review is to discuss the potential of graphene-based nanomaterials with regard to the penetration energy, toughness and ballistic limit for personal body armour applications. This review addresses the cutting-edge research in the ballistic performance of graphene-based materials through theoretical, experimentation as well as simulations. The influence of fabrication techniques and interfacial interactions of graphene-based bioinspired polymer composites for ballistic application are also discussed. This review also covers the artificial nacre which is shown to exhibit superior mechanical and toughness behaviours. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocomposites: From Design to Application)

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