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Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials

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A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 5677

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yew Mun Hung

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Guest Editor

Mechanical Engineering Discipline, School of Engineering, Monash University, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
Interests: microscale heat transfer; micro heat pipes; microchannels; phase-change heat transfer; electronics cooling; interfacial phenomena of graphene nanostructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Cher Pin Song

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Guest Editor

Chemical Engineering Discipline, School of Engineering, Monash University, Bandar Sunway 47500, Malaysia
Interests: renewable energy; biocatalysis; bioprocess; extraction; oil and fats; food engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional materials are widely applied in various fields due to their exceptional properties, such as magnetism, catalysis, and electrical and optical properties, high specific surface area, and superior mechanical properties. These materials can be divided into several types, including carbon nanomaterials, metal nanoparticles, metal compounds, supramolecular compounds, and composite functional materials. They are advanced materials designed and synthesized for specific functions, with tailored properties. Driven by recent advances in science and technology innovation, sustainable and green applications using functional materials are becoming increasingly popular. Novel functional materials can be developed by using a combination of organic and inorganic, sustainable biomass with or without polymers and nanomaterials. In response to sustainable development and societal challenges, researchers and engineers have recently focused their attention on designing and synthesizing emergent, novel functional materials for aerospace, biomedical, electronic, energy, and environmental applications. This revolution of novel functional materials and interfaces will accelerate the advancement of science and technology towards a sustainable and green world.

Dr. Yew Mun Hung
Dr. Cher Pin Song
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. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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

biomaterials
energy materials
functional materials
hybrid materials
metal compounds
nanomaterials
responsive materials
polymers
sustainable functional composites

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Hydration Mechanisms of Co-Stabilization Saline Soils by Using Multiple Solid Wastes

by Bolan Lei, Pingfeng Fu, Xiaoli Wang, Wen Ni, Siqi Zhang, Xiancong Wang, Jinjin Shi and Miao Xu

Processes 2023, 11(9), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092679 - 07 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 688

Abstract

In this paper, an approach was employed to fabricate a curing agent using multiple solid wastes. To determine the optimal mixing ratio, orthogonal and compaction tests were initially conducted, followed by a comparative analysis of the excitation effects elicited by sodium silicate and NaOH. Remarkably, sodium silicate demonstrated superior suitability as an activator. The final composition was established as follows: 4% sodium silicate, 26% carbide slag, 25% granulated blast furnace (GBF) slag, 35% coal fly ash, and 10% flue gas desulphurization (FGD) gypsum. Under controlled conditions of 20% of curing agent content, the unconfined compressive strength of the solidified soil at 7 d attained 1.54 MPa, thereby satisfying the rigorous construction requirements for highways across all levels. XRD and SEM-EDS analyses revealed that the principal hydration products in the system consisted of ettringite, Friedel’s salt, and C-S-H gel. These products enveloped the soil particles, with ettringite and Friedel’s salt intermingling and occupying the intricate framework formed by the gel. The synergistic interplay among the components ultimately fostered the development of a coherent soil structure and enhanced overall densification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials)

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22 pages, 5862 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Perovskite Nano-Powder and Nano-Film Catalysts in Mineralization of Aqueous Organic Contaminants through Solar Simulated Radiation

by Tamara Zorba, Heba Nassar, Muath H. S. Helal, Jeheon Song, Tae Woo Kim, Shehdeh Jodeh and Hikmat S. Hilal

Processes 2023, 11(8), 2378; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082378 - 07 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 713

Abstract

Water contamination with various contaminants, including organic species, is a global concern. Reclamation through safe, economic and technically feasible methods is imperative. Two perovskites, zinc titanate (ZnTiO₃) and manganese titanate (MnTiO₃), mixed with TiO₂ phases, were prepared as nano-powders and nano-films. The materials were characterized and used as catalysts in photodegradation of aqueous methylene blue, a hazardous model contaminant, using solar simulated radiation. The effects of various reaction conditions on the photodegradation were examined. The kinetics indicated the suitability of using the process at various contaminant concentrations and catalyst loadings. Both powder and film catalysts completely removed the contaminant in less than 6 h. Powder and film forms of the MnTiO₃ mixture were more efficient than their ZnTiO₃ counterparts. In both perovskite mixtures, the films exhibited higher catalytic efficiency than the powders. The film materials exhibited high catalytic efficiency in both the continuous flow and batch processes. Water contaminated with various methylene blue concentrations can be treated by the film catalysts that can be recovered and reused with no technical difficulties. The results open new horizons for larger-scale water purification processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials)

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14 pages, 11266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Morphological Evolution of Self-Assembled Silver Nanoparticles under Photoirradiation and Their SERS Performance

by Apiwat Phetsahai, Pitak Eiamchai, Kheamrutai Thamaphat and Pichet Limsuwan

Processes 2023, 11(7), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11072207 - 22 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1049

Abstract

In this study, we conducted a one-step photochemical synthesis to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with irregular morphology. The synthesis process involved the photoconversion of Ag nanoseeds into self-assembled Ag nanostructures of various morphologies using a high-pressure sodium lamp with a wavelength of 589 nm, corresponding to an energy of 2.1 eV. During the synthesis, the color of the colloidal Ag nanoseeds gradually changed as the irradiation time increased, transitioning from yellow to brown, juniper green, basil green, ocean green, aegean blue, and finally to true blue. We characterized the morphological evolution of the resulting AgNPs, as well as their optical properties and aggregation behavior, using transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of the self-assembled morphology of the AgNPs on their surface-enhanced Raman scattering efficiency, using R6G as the target analyte. The results revealed that the colloidal AgNPs synthesized under a visible light irradiation time of 1 h consisted of circular nanoplates, hexagonal nanoplates, trapezoid nanoplates, and triangular nanoplates. These colloidal AgNPs exhibited excellent SERS activity when used as an SERS-active substrate in the form of an aqueous solution, enabling the detection of low concentrations of R6G down to 10⁻¹² M. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials)

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8 pages, 1637 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceCommunication

Comparison Study on the Water-to-Biomass Ratio in Hydrothermal Carbonization of Fresh Seaweed

by Sepideh Soroush, Frederik Ronsse, Jihae Park and Philippe M. Heynderickx

Processes 2023, 11(4), 1123; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11041123 - 05 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1273

Abstract

Upgrading wet biomass to char via hydrothermal carbonization is a promising method to produce valuable resources for adsorption of organic impurities. In this work, a fresh green seaweed, Ulva pertusa, was investigated to demonstrate the effects of pre-drying and pre-washing on the process and the hydrochar production. Surface moisture and bound moisture were found to affect this process. Hydrochar produced from fresh seaweed with additional water showed similar adsorption capacity to fresh seaweed without additional water and 38% higher than hydrochar from soaked dry seaweed. This was supported by FTIR spectra analysis, which showed that these hydrochars produced from fresh seaweed without additional water have the highest proportion of carboxyl functional groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials)

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Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 757 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Hybrid Materials for Tissue Repair and Replacement: Another Frontier in Biomaterial Exploitation Focusing on Cardiovascular and Urological Fields

by Martina Casarin, Martina Todesco, Chiara Giulia Fontanella, Alessandro Morlacco, Fabrizio Dal Moro and Andrea Bagno

Processes 2023, 11(7), 2013; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11072013 - 05 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1421

Abstract

The main purpose of tissue engineering is to fabricate and exploit engineered constructs suitable for the effective replacement of damaged tissues and organs to perfectly integrate with the host’s organism without eliciting any adverse reaction. Ideally, autologous materials represent the best option, but they are often limited due to the low availability of compatible healthy tissues. So far, one therapeutic approach relies on the exploitation of synthetic materials as they exhibit good features in terms of impermeability, deformability, and flexibility, but present chronic risks of infections and inflammations. Alternatively, biological materials, including naturally derived ones and acellular tissue matrices of human or animal origin, can be used to induce cells growth and differentiation, which are needed for tissue regeneration; however, this kind of material lacks satisfactory mechanical resistance and reproducibility, affecting their clinical application. In order to overcome the above-mentioned limitations, hybrid materials, which can be obtained by coupling synthetic polymers and biological materials, have been investigated with the aim to improve biological compatibility and mechanical features. Currently, the interest in these materials is growing, but the ideal ones have not been found yet. The present review aims at exploring some applications of hybrid materials, with particular mention to urological and cardiovascular fields. In the first case, the efforts to find a construct that can guarantee impermeability, mechanical resistance, and patency is herein illustrated; in the second case, the search for impermeability, hemocompatibility and adequate compliance is disclosed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of Novel Functional Materials)

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