Application Of Functional Materials Research Articles

Electrophysical properties of the multiferroic PFN\u2013ferrite composites obtained by spark plasma sintering and classical technology

The multiferroic (ferroelectric–ferromagnetic) composites (PFN–ferrite) based on ferroelectromagnetic PbFe1/2Nb1/2O3 powder and ferrite powder (zinc–nickel ferrite, NiZnFeO4) were obtained in the presented study. The ceramic PFN–ferrite composites consisted of 90% powder PFN material and 10% powder NiZnFeO4 ferrite. The ceramic powders were synthesized by the classical technological method using powder calcination, while densification of the composite powders (sintering) was carried by two different methods: (1) free sintering method (FS) and (2) spark plasma sintering (SPS). The composite PFN–ferrite samples were thermally tested, including DC electrical conductivity and dielectric properties. Besides, XRD, SEM, EDS (energy-dispersive spectrometry) and ferroelectric properties (hysteresis loop) of the composite samples were tested at room temperature. At the work, a comparison was made for the results measured for PFN–ferrite composite samples obtained by two methods. The X-ray examination of multiferroic ceramic composites confirmed the occurrence of the strong diffraction peaks derived from ferroelectric (PFN) matrix of composite as well as weak peaks induced by the ferrite component. At the same time, the studies showed the absence of other undesired phases. The results presented in this work revealed that the ceramic composite obtained by two different technological sintering methods (free sintering method and spark plasma sintering technique) can be the promising materials for functional applications, for example, in sensors for magnetic and electric fields.

Strongly Hydrophobic and Superoleophilic PMMA Based Nanocoated Cotton Fabrics

Oil–water separation is among the critical issues worldwide due to recent massive oil spills. Moreover, domestic and industrial water pollution due to oil discharge affects marine and aquatic life. Cotton is the most predominant fiber globally because of its use as a principal and popular clothing material. Cotton is also the leading raw material for technical and functional textile applications. In this study, the fabric was cured with poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles to develop hydrophobic and oleophilic cotton fabrics. The dehydrating agents, N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and dimethyl aminopyridine (DMAP), were used to catalyze the esterification. The results proved that the excellent hydrophobicity of modified cotton fabric provides a water contact angle higher than 140°. In addition, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, confirmed the fabric surface modification. Surface morphological analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the uniform rough surface structure of the modified fabric with nano-coating. The modified fabric resulted in the high separation efficiency of oil and water, suggesting this strategy to be suitable for advanced oil–water separation.

Supramolecular Two-Dimensional Systems and Their Biological Applications.

Various biological systems rely on the supramolecular assembly of biomolecules through noncovalent bonds for performing sophisticated functions. In particular, cell membranes, which are 2D structures in biological systems, have various characteristics such as a large surface, flexibility, and molecule-recognition ability. Supramolecular 2D materials based on biological systems provide a novel perspective for the development of functional 2D materials. The physical and chemical properties of 2D structures, attributed to their large surface area, can enhance the sensitivity of the detection of target molecules, molecular loading, and bioconjugation efficiency, suggesting the potential utility of functional 2D materials as candidates for biological systems. Although several types of studies on supramolecular 2D materials have been reported, supramolecular biofunctional 2D materials have not been reviewed previously. In this regard, the current advances in 2D material development using molecular assembly are discussed with respect to the rational design of self-assembling aromatic amphiphiles, the formation of 2D structures, and the biological applications of functional 2D materials.

Programmable DNA Nanoflowers for Biosensing, Bioimaging, and Therapeutics.

DNA nanostructures have shown excellent prospects in biomedical applications owing to their unique sequence programmability, function designability, and biocompatibility. As a type of unique DNA-inorganic hybrid nanostructures, DNA nanoflowers (DNFs) have attracted considerable attention in the past few years. Precise design of the DNA sequence enables the functions of DNFs to be customized. Specifically, DNFs exhibit high physiological stability and more diverse properties by virtue of the incorporation of inorganic materials, which in turn have been applied in an assortment of biomedical fields. In this review, the design, synthesis, and biomedical applications of programmable DNFs are discussed. First, the background of DNA-based materials and the fundamentals of DNFs are briefly introduced. In the second part, two synthetic methods of DNFs are categorized as the rolling circle amplification and salt aging method, focusing on the formation mechanism of DNFs and differences between the synthetic methods. In the third part, the biomedical applications of DNFs functional materials are summarized, including biosensing, bioimaging, and therapeutics. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities of DNFs are discussed toward more widespread applications.

3-D Inorganic Crystal Structure Generation and Property Prediction via Representation Learning.

Generative models have been successfully used to synthesize completely novel images, text, music, and speech. As such, they present an exciting opportunity for the design of new materials for functional applications. So far, generative deep-learning methods applied to molecular and drug discovery have yet to produce stable and novel 3-D crystal structures across multiple material classes. To that end, we, herein, present an autoencoder-based generative deep-representation learning pipeline for geometrically optimized 3-D crystal structures that simultaneously predicts the values of eight target properties. The system is highly general, as demonstrated through creation of novel materials from three separate material classes: binary alloys, ternary perovskites, and Heusler compounds. Comparison of these generated structures to those optimized via electronic-structure calculations shows that our generated materials are valid and geometrically optimized.

Development and applications of deep eutectic solvent derived functional materials in chromatographic separation.

Deep eutectic solvents have received increasing attention over the past decade, and the green and versatile nature makes them important media for developing environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies. In addition to act as green alternatives to traditional organic solvents, deep eutectic solvents offer tremendous opportunities to produce different kinds of emerging functional materials. The present review highlights the recent development and applications of deep functional materials based on deep eutectic solvents as novel adsorbents for diverse analytes in complex matrices. The type, preparation, and unique properties of deep eutectic solvents, the synthesis of deep eutectic solvent derived materials, as well as their applications in chromatographic separation are described. We aim to demonstrate that deep eutectic solvents not only allow the design of eco-friendly extraction processes but also open straightforward access to advanced materials in sample preparation.

Functionally tuned nanolayered graphene as reinforcement of polyethylene nanocomposites for lightweight transportation industry

System integration and multifunctionality requirements of high-performance materials in the transportation sector are pushing manufacturers to search for advanced functional polymers that are easy to recycle, cost-effective and not energy intensive. This study reports, for the first time, an advanced and lightweight functional nanocomposite material with higher thermal deformation resistance and thermo-mechanical properties than those of conventional polyolefins used in the aforesaid sector. This unique material consists of a biphasic polyolefin system, with Polyethylene (PE) being the macro phase and Polypropylene (PP) being the micro phase, and a novel surface-active nanostructured functional graphene, which thermodynamically co-locate itself at the interface of the PE/PP binary system, thanks to our proposed strategic mixing mechanism. It is proven that the targeted interfacial localization of the novel functional nanolayered graphene promoted a nucleation-controlled PE crystallization, as demonstrated by optical microscopy and studies on macro phase non-isothermal crystallization kinetics. This justifies the remarkable enhancement of nanocomposite’s thermo-mechanical properties, leading to the potential use of this new functional material as a lightweight thermoplastic olefinic nanocomposite in the above-mentioned industrial sector. Lastly, the outcome of this study opens new avenues in the applications of advanced, lightweight, and functional polyolefin-based materials for diverse applications, increasing the environmental footprint.

Recent Advances in the Preparation and Applications of Organo-functionalized Porous Materials.

Organo-functionalized materials with porous structure offer unique adsorption, catalytic and sensing properties. These unique properties make them available for various applications, including catalysis, CO2 capture and utilization, and drug delivery. The properties and the performance of these unique materials can be altered with suitable modifications on their surface. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the preparation and applications of organo-functionalized porous materials with different structures. Initially, a brief historical overview of functionalized porous materials is presented, and the subsequent sections discuss the recent developments and applications of various functional porous materials. In particular, the focus is given on the various methods used for the preparation of organo-functionalized materials and their important roles in the heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts. A special emphasis is also given on the applications of these functionalized porous materials for catalysis, CO2 capture and drug delivery.

Biomedical Application of Functional Materials in Organ-on-a-Chip.

The organ-on-a-chip (OOC) technology has been utilized in a lot of biomedical fields such as fundamental physiological and pharmacological researches. Various materials have been introduced in OOC and can be broadly classified into inorganic, organic, and hybrid materials. Although PDMS continues to be the preferred material for laboratory research, materials for OOC are constantly evolving and progressing, and have promoted the development of OOC. This mini review provides a summary of the various type of materials for OOC systems, focusing on the progress of materials and related fabrication technologies within the last 5 years. The advantages and drawbacks of these materials in particular applications are discussed. In addition, future perspectives and challenges are also discussed.

Palladium nanoparticle colored cotton fabric as a highly efficient catalyst for colorimetric sensing of H2O2

Palladium nanoparticle (PdNP) loaded cotton fabrics were successfully prepared through in situ synthesis of PdNPs via heating. The resulting PdNP-treated cotton fabrics showed color originated from the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of PdNPs, with satisfactory color fastness to washing and rubbing, and enhanced UV protection properties. The PdNP-treated cotton greatly accelerated the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by sodium borohydride, exhibiting distinct catalytic activity. More importantly, the PdNP-treated cotton fabric displayed enzyme mimicking activity to catalyze the oxidation of a chromogenic enzymatic substrate (3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, which provides a visual sensing platform for hydrogen peroxide. This work demonstrated a versatile approach to fabricate PdNP-treated cotton fabrics with multiple functions. This study on the surface modification of cotton fabrics with PdNPs could promote the practical applications of functional fibrous materials in catalysis and sensing fields.

Interaction between homologous functional food Astragali Radix and intestinal flora

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the treasure of our culture, and TCM theory is the core of traditional Chinese medicine. Many of its concepts can be unified and balanced with modern functional food ideas. Even in ancient days, people had already found that medicine and food have the same source. Nowadays, homology between drug and food has been accepted widely. Astragali Radix and some other herbs have been used both as food and medicine, with a variety of bio-active substances, so such herbs can be used as characteristics resources to be developed into functional food. It's a combination of traditional medicine and modern ideas. Flavonoids, polysaccharides and saponins, the main compositions of Astragali Radix, can keep intestinal microenvironment homeostasis and human health by influencing the population structure, metabolism and intestinal cell function of intestinal flora. On the other hand, intestinal flora is also involved in the absorption, metabolism, transformation and other steps of these active ingredients in the body, which has an impact on their effectiveness and improves their bioavailability, playing an essential role in the relevant mechanism of their effectiveness. In this paper, we summarize the interaction between the above three functional ingredients in Astragali Radix and intestinal flora, sum up the interaction between these three functional ingredients of other homologous drugs and intestinal flora, provide a theoretical basis for the mechanism and application of functional food materials, and propose some suggestions and prospects for their future development.

Shape-Shifting via Salt Crystallization: Conversion of a Nanostructured Polymer into a Site-Selective Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Sheet with Enhanced Supercapacitive Performance

The production of selective nitrogen-doped graphitic nanoporous carbon plays a pivotal role in performance enhancement and widens the scope of practical applications of functional materials. The sy...

Synergistic measurement and correlation of multiple order parameters at the atomic scale

In this paper, the origin and concept of multiple order parameters are briefly illustrated. Based on recent publications by the author’s research group, progress concerning the investigation of synergistic measurements and the correlation of multiple order parameters at the atomic scale in rare-earth transition group elemental oxides is presented. With the help of aberration-corrected electron microscopy and high spatial resolution spectroscopy, synergistic measurements and correlation studies at the atomic scale of multiple order parameters, e.g., lattice, charge, spin, orbital, and topology, are achievable. Such measurements will further the current understanding of the various coupling mechanisms and promote the research, development, and application of functional materials and “quantum materials”.

Research on size dependent integral melting thermodynamic properties of Cu nanoparticles

Nanometer copper possesses a broad range of applications in catalytic electrochemistry and functional materials, and these applications are intimately associated with the thermodynamic properties of melting. In this paper, we deduced the exact relationships between the integral melting enthalpy, the entropy of the nanoparticles, respectively, particle size, and discussed the influencing factors, influencing regularities and influencing a degree on the thermodynamic properties of melting. Experimentally, different sizes of Cu nanoparticles were prepared by the microwave method, the melting temperatures, melting enthalpies, and melting entropies were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results demonstrate that the integral thermodynamic properties of Cu nanoparticles decrease with the reduction of particle size, and vary linearly with the reverse particle size within the experimental size range. The experimental results are coherent with the theoretical predictions.

Transition‐Metal‐Free Coupling Reactions: PPh3‐Promoted Sonogashira‐Type Cross‐Couplings of Heteroaryl Halides with Terminal Alkynes

AbstractHerein, we report a highly efficient Sonogashira‐type cross‐coupling reaction of heteroaryl halides with terminal alkynes under mild transition‐metal‐free conditions using PPh3 and Cs2CO3/NEt3, A wide range of functional groups was tolerated under optimized conditions. Furthermore, the protocol could be extended to the Suzuki‐type cross‐coupling of heteroaryl halides with phenylboronic acid, achieving the corresponding products in good to excellent yields. A test reaction on gram scale delivered the product in reasonably high yield and thus has the potential of promising applications in drug discovery and functional materials.

Experimental Study on Mechanical Properties of the Sandwich Composite Structure Reinforced by Basalt Fiber and Nomex Honeycomb.

The new sandwich composite structure formed by basalt fiber resin-based sheets and Nomex honeycomb has the advantages of being lightweight and environmentally friendly, as well as having excellent electromagnetic performance. It has very important application prospects in traditional and emerging fields. In this paper, the mechanical properties of this new sandwich composite structure are studied. The results show that, under the condition of flatwise compression, increasing the height of the honeycomb is conducive to improving the compressive capacity of the structure. However, the height should be controlled within a certain range in case of instability and yield of the honeycomb; under the bending conditions, the bending failure mode of the composite structure has gone through five stages. Owing to the honeycomb manufacturing process, the orientation of the honeycomb also has a great influence on the bending strength of the structure. After further analysis, it is found that basalt fiber sheets contribute the most to the bending stiffness of the structure, and the main role of honeycomb is to provide out-of-plane support. In both cases, the failure of specimens is ductile, and the combined structure still has a small amount of bearing capacity and maintains structural integrity. Research on this new type of composite structural material is very beneficial for promoting the application and development of green and lightweight special functional materials.

개박하 추출물의 피부장벽 기능에 대한 효과

Nepeta cataria commonly known as catnip, catswort, catwort, and catmint, is native to Europe, Asia, and America, and has a history of use in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments. Although N. cataria exhibits desirable biological effects, such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities, the effect of N. cataria extract on the skin barrier function remains unknown. Thus, we herein examined the application of functional materials by testing a variety of physiological activities of N. cataria extract. N. cataria extract was found to possess a low cytotoxicity and a high DPPH radical scavenging activity, which resulted in a significant increase in the transactivation activity of PPAR response elements (PPREs) such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α. Finally, it was found that N. cataria extract promotes the expression of filaggrin and involucrin, which is related to skin barrier protection. These results indicate that N. cataria extract may be an effective comfound for improving the skin barrier function.

Ideal near-Dirac triple-point semimetal in III-V semiconductor alloys

Despite the growing interest in topological materials, the difficulty of experimentally synthesizing and integrating them with other materials has been one of the main barriers restricting access to their unique properties. Recent advances in synthesizing metastable phases of crystalline materials can help to overcome this barrier and offer new platforms to experimentally study and manipulate band topology. Because III-V semiconductors have a wide range of functional material applications (including optoelectronic devices, light-emitting diodes, and highly efficient solar cells), and because Bi-doped III-V materials can be synthesized by ion plantation and ion-cutoff methods, we revisit the effect of bismuth substitution in metastable III-V semiconductors. Through first-principles calculation methods, we show that in wurtzite structure III-V materials, Bi substitution can lead to band inversion phenomena and induce nontrivial topological properties. Specifically, we identify that GaBi and InBi are Dirac-Weyl semimetals, characterized by the coexistence of Dirac points and Weyl points, and $\text{GaAs}_{0.5} \text{Bi}_{0.5}$, $\text{GaSb}_{0.5} \text{Bi}_{0.5}$, $\text{InSb}_{0.5} \text{Bi}_{0.5}$ are triple-point semimetals, characterized by two sets of "near Dirac" triple points on the Fermi level. These experimentally-accessible bismuth-based topological semimetals can be integrated into the large family of functional III-V materials for experimental studies of heterostructures and future optoelectronic applications.

Synthesis and structure of carboxymethylcellulose with a high degree of substitution derived from waste disposable paper cups

The cost of the cellulose derived from some raw materials was high. In addition, the dispersion of the cellulose with special shape and a low degree of substitution (DS) in water-soluble polymers was poor. To resolve this problem, cellulose was separated from waste disposable paper cups (WDPC) and then the carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) was synthesized by etherification. Under the optimized conditions (the etherification temperature of 70 ℃, the etherification time of 1.5 h, the monochloroacetic acid mass (C2H3ClO2) of 7 g), the DS of CMC was as high as 1.21. As-prepared CMC showed ribbon and rod-like shapes with a diameter of 25−50 μm. In addition, they exhibited an excellent thermal stability. Compared with other CMC, we could infer that as-prepared CMC in this paper will have potential applications in flexible composites and functional materials.

Catalytic Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl Cyclopropenes and Oligo-Cyclopropenes.

The synthesis of trifluoromethylated cyclopropenes is often associated with important applications in drug discovery and functional materials. In this report, we describe the use of readily available chiral rhodium(II) catalysts for a highly efficient asymmetric cyclopropenation reaction of fluorinated donor–acceptor diazoalkanes with a broad variety of aliphatic and aromatic alkynes. Further studies highlight the unique reactivity of fluorinated donor–acceptor diazoalkanes in the synthesis of oligo‐cyclopropenes. Subsequent C−H functionalization of trifluoromethyl cyclopropenes furnishes densely substituted cyclopropene frameworks and also allows the alternative synthesis of bis‐cyclopropenes.