Dielectric spectroscopy of hydrophilic polymers–montmorillonite clay nanocomposite aqueous colloidal suspension

Dual adsorbent-photocatalytic keratin–TiO2 nanocomposite for trimethoprim removal from wastewater

A keratin hydrogel with immersed TiO₂ nanoparticles was developed for the adsorption-photocatalytic degradation of the emerging pollutant trimethoprim.

Performance of Void-Free Electrospun SPEEK/Cloisite as a Function of Degree of Dispersion State on Nanocomposite Proton Exchange Membrane for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Application

One of the main problems in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application is methanol crossover. In order to solve the problem, an exfoliated void-free electrospun Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) (SPEEK)/cloisite nanocomposite membrane was developed. The membrane was prepared by immersing electrospun SPEEK/cloisite fiber mats onto incomplete solidified SPEEK polymer matrix. A well dispersed and reduction size of cloisite particles that ranges from 0.29⁻0.39 µm was observed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The effect of the morphology of the composite membrane in terms of degree of dispersion state of the Cloisite on the membrane performance was discussed. SP/e-spunCL15 with fully exfoliated structure exhibited the highest performance as compared to other tested membranes and Nafion® 115 with current density of 1042.2 mAcm-2 and power density of 1.18 mWcm-2. Improved morphological, dimensional change properties, and performance assigned to well-dispersed cloisite15A induced by the electrospinning technique make the membranes more efficient for direct methanol fuel cell applications.

Effect of the Organobentonite Filler on Structure and Properties of Composites Based on Hydroxyethyl Cellulose

Organobentonite powder was synthesized and characterized using laser diffraction, X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption technique, and dynamic light scattering. Obtained powder was found as material with mesopores. The organobentonite particles were larger than pure bentonite one. Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was filled with organobentonite particles by mechanical dispersion, and produced composite films were researched by the number of methods. New data relating to structure, tensile properties, and antimicrobial activity of HEC/organobentonite composites were obtained. Using results of X-ray diffraction, the reflections assigned to crystal filler in polymer material were proved. Concentration effect of the filling agent on tensile properties of composite film was revealed. Data of infrared (IR) spectrometry indicated a decrease in the density of hydrogen-bond net in HEC/organobentonite composite as compared with pristine HEC. Using microbiological tests, it was found that the HEC/organobentonite films exhibited bacteriostatic action against S. aureus and fungistatic action against molds.

Microwave dielectric spectra and molecular relaxation in formamide-N,N-dimethylformamide binary mixtures

The dielectric dispersion and absorption spectra of formamide (FA), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and their binary mixtures are investigated in the frequency range of 500 MHz to 20 GHz at 30°C in view of the organic synthesis by microwaves heating using amides solvents. The concentration dependent values of molecular reorientation relaxation times lower than that of the ideal mixing behaviour have been attributed to the cooperative dynamics of H-bonded FA-DMF structures. The molar ratio of stable adduct is 2:1 of FA to the DMF, which is determined from the concentration dependent excess static dielectric constant and the relaxation time plots of these binary mixtures. Electrode polarization effect and ionic conduction in FA and DMF were investigated from their dielectric dispersion spectra in the low frequency region of 20 Hz to 1 MHz.

Simple synthesis of clay-gold nanocomposites with tunable color

Clay-based nanocomposites have been studied for several decades, mainly focusing on clay-polymer nanocomposites. Here, we report on a simple wet chemical method to synthesize clay-APTES-Au (CAAu) nanocomposites, where 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) acts as the linkage. The silane terminal of APTES formed bonds with the clay surface, while the other -NH(2) terminal bonds to gold nanoparticles. The color of clay changed when these CAAu nanocomposites were formed. By changing the size of the gold nanoparticles, the color of CAAu could be adjusted, simply by changing process parameters. TEM characterization of the synthesized nanocomposites showed an even distribution of gold nanoparticles on the clay surfaces. The nanocomposites were stable in strong acid and high concentration of salt conditions, while strong basic solution like NaOH could slightly influence the status of the gold nanoparticles due to the rupture of the Si-O-Si bonds between APTES and clay. To demonstrate the potential for label free sensing application of CAAu nanocomposites, we made hybrids of clay-APTES-Au-HD-Au (CAAuHAu), where hexamethylene diamine (HD) served as links between CAAu nanocomposites and the gold nanoparticles. The color of the composites changed from red to blue, when the hybrids were formed. Moreover, hemoglobin was loaded on the CAAu nanocomposites, which can potentially be used as a biosensor. These synthesized nanocomposites may combine the catalytic properties of clay and the well-known excellent properties of gold nanoparticles, such as the ability to anchor biological and chemical molecules. Furthermore, the color change of CAAu, when the CAAuHAu hybrids were observed, suggests the applications of these nanocomposites in biochemical and chemical sensing.