Search Results (6)

Hydrotalcite exhibits the capability to adsorb CO₂ at elevated temperatures. High surface area and favorable coating properties are essential to harness its potential for practical applications. Stable alcohol-based dispersions are needed for thin film applications of mixed membranes containing hydrotalcite. Currently, producing such dispersions without the need for delamination and dispersing agents is a challenging task. This work introduces, for the first time, a manufacturing approach to overcoming the drawbacks mentioned above. It includes a synthesis of hydrotalcite nanoparticles, followed by agent-free delamination of their layers and final dispersion into alcohol without dispersing agents. Further, the hydrotalcite-derived sorption agent is dispersed in a matrix based on organo-silica gels derived from 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE). The analytical results indicate that the interconnection between hydrotalcite and BTESE-derived gel occurs via forming a strong hydrogen bonding system between the interlayer species (OH groups, CO₃²⁻) of hydrotalcite and oxygen and silanol active gel centers. These findings lay the foundation for applications involving incorporating hydrotalcite-like compounds into silica matrices, ultimately enabling the development of materials with exceptional mass transfer properties. In part 2 of this study, the gas separation performance of the organo-silica and the hydrotalcite-like materials and their combined form will be investigated. Full article

The Stöber version of a sol-gel method of co-condensation of two alkoxysilanes (structuring tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and functionalising N-containing silane) in an ammonia medium was used for the one-pot synthesis of spherical silica particles with ≡Si(CH₂)₃NH₂, ≡Si(CH₂)₃NH(CH₂)₂NH₂, and ≡[Si(CH₂)₃NH]₂ functional groups with available groups content of 1.3–2.3 mmol/g. The materials were researched by a range of methods, including SEM, TEM, IR spectroscopy, ¹³C, and ²⁹Si solid-state NMR spectroscopy, acid-base titration, and thermal analysis to identify the peculiarities of the morphology, functional groups content, composition, and thermal resistance of the surface layers in the synthesised samples. The type of N-containing silane was shown to affect the structure and properties of the synthesised spherical particles. The silane with the simplest, 3-aminopropyl, functional group caused the formation of nonporous material composed of large 600–800 nm spherical microparticles. Meanwhile, the complication of functional groups enhanced the emergence of small 15 nm primary particles and the origination of porosity, generated by the slits between particles and particle agglomerates. Thereafter, the sorption properties of the synthesised hybrid materials for nickel(II) and copper(II)ions, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were also found to be dependent on the structure of the materials and the type of incorporated functional group. The maximal static sorption capacity values towards the targeted adsorbates were shown by the samples with 3-aminopropyl groups (1.27 mmol Ni/g), diamine groups (1.09 mmol Cu/g), and secondary amine groups (204.6 mg BSA/g). The conducted research opens up the prospects of directed one-pot synthesis of amino-functionalised hybrid organosilica materials for different applications. Full article

In this work, we synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles containing bridging groups of ethylene (E-PMO) and phenylene (P-PMO) and compared their adsorption properties using D-limonene (Lim), myrcene (Myr), and cymene (Cym) as model guest molecules. For the selected nanoparticles of ~100 nm in diameter, the loading capacity to the volatile fragrances was in the order of P-PMO < E-PMO < MSN, consistent with the trend of increasing total pore volume. For example, P-PMO, E-PMO, and MSN had a Lim uptake of 42.2 wt%, 47.3 wt%, and 62.7 wt%, respectively, which was close to their theoretical adsorption capacity. Under isothermal thermogravimetric analysis conditions (30 °C, a N₂ flow of 1 mL min⁻¹), the lowest fragrance release of ~56% over 24 h was observed for P-PMO, followed by E-PMO (74–80%), and MSN (~89%). The release kinetics of the fragrant molecules from MSN and PMO materials can be well described by first-order and Weibull models, respectively. Moreover, the incorporation of Lim-loaded P-PMO NPs in an aqueous solution of regenerated silk fibroin provided a composite coating material suitable for perishable fruit preservation. The active layer deposited on fruit peels using dip coating showed good preservation efficacy, enabling the shelf-life of mangoes in a highly humid and hot atmosphere (30–35 °C, 75–85% RH) to be extended to 6 days. Full article

Bacterial pathogens pose high threat to public health worldwide. Different types of nanomaterials have been synthesized for the rapid detection and elimination of pathogens from environmental samples. However, the selectivity of these materials remains challenging, because target bacterial pathogens commonly exist in complex samples at ultralow concentrations. In this study, we fabricated novel furry amino magnetic poly-L-ornithine (PLO)/amine-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-COOH/vancomycin (VCM) (AM-PPV) nanospheres with high-loading VCM for vehicle tracking and the highly efficient capture of pathogens. The magnetic core was coated with organosilica and functionalized with cilia. The core consisted of PEG/PLO loaded with VCM conjugated to Gram-positive bacterial cell membranes, forming hydrogen bonds with terminal peptides. The characterization of AM-PPV nanospheres revealed an average particle size of 56 nm. The field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs showed well-controlled spherical AM-PPV nanospheres with an average size of 56 nm. The nanospheres were relatively rough and contained an additional 12.4 nm hydrodynamic layer of PLO/PEG/VCM, which provided additional stability in the suspension. The furry AM-PPV nanospheres exhibited a significant capture efficiency (>90%) and a high selectivity for detecting Bacillus cereus (employed as a model for Gram-positive bacteria) within 15 min, even in the presence of other biocompatible pathogens. Moreover, AM-PPV nanospheres rapidly and accurately detected B. cereus at levels less than 10 CFU/mL. The furry nano-design can potentially satisfy the increasing demand for the rapid and sensitive detection of pathogens in clinical and environmental samples. Full article

The ease and low environmental impact of its preparation, the reduced fuel crossover, and the low cost, make sulfonated polyether ether ketone (sPEEK) a potential candidate to replace the Nafion ionomer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, sPEEK was used as a polymer matrix for the preparation of nanocomposite electrolyte membranes by dispersing an organo-silica layered material properly functionalized by anchoring high phosphonated (PO₃H) ionic groups (nominated PSLM). sPEEK-PSLM membranes were prepared by the solution intercalation method and the proton transport properties were investigated by NMR (diffusometry-PFG and relaxometry-T₁) and EIS spectroscopies, whereas the mechanical properties of the membranes were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The presence of the organosilica nanoplatelets remarkably improved the mechanical strength, the water retention capacity at high temperatures, and the proton transport, in particular under harsh operative conditions (above 100 °C and 20–30% RH), usually required in PEMFCs applications. Full article

In this work, we study the preparation of new sulfonated polyether ether ketone (sPEEK) nanocomposite membranes, containing highly ionic silica layered nanoadditives, as a low cost and efficient proton exchange membranes for fuel cell applications. To achieve the best compromise among mechanical strength, dimensional stability and proton conductivity, sPEEK polymers with different sulfonation degree (DS) were examined. Silica nanoplatelets, decorated with a plethora of sulfonic acid groups, were synthesized through the one-step process, and composite membranes at 1, 3 and 5 wt% of filler loadings were prepared by a simple casting procedure. The presence of ionic layered additives improves the mechanical strength, the water retention capacity and the transport properties remarkably. The nanocomposite membrane with 5% wt of nanoadditive exhibited an improvement of tensile strength almost 160% (68.32 MPa,) with respect to pristine sPEEK and a ten-times higher rate of proton conductivity (12.8 mS cm⁻¹) under very harsh operative conditions (i.e., 90 °C and 30% RH), compared to a filler-free membrane. These findings represent a significant advance as a polymer electrolyte or a fuel cell application. Full article