Binary Nanocomposites Research Articles

Ternary nanocomposites of mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride/black phosphorus/gold nanoparticles (mpg-CN/BP-Au) for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and electrochemical sensing of paracetamol

We report herein the fabrication of a novel ternary nanocomposite of mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride/black phosphorus-gold nanoparticles (mpg-CN/BP-Au) and its catalytic performance in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and electrochemical detection of paracetamol. The photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of mpg-CN/BP-Au nanocomposite (1024 µmol g−1 for 8 h) is compared with mpg-CN, mpg-CN/BP and mpg-CN/Au in the presence of triethanolamine (TEOA) as a hole scavenger under the visible light. In addition to the photocatalytic HER application, as-prepared mpg-CN/BP-Au nanocomposite was deposited on modified glassy carbon electrode (mpg-CN/BP-Au/GCE) and for the first time tested for the detection of paracetamol (PA). Under the optimum conditions, linear range of paracetamol detection was found to be in the range of 0.3–120 µM with a detection limit of 0.0425 µM. mpg-CN/BP-Au/GCE provided higher electrocatalytic activity than pristine mpg-CN and all other tested binary nanocomposites. The enhanced photo- and electrochemical activity of mpg-CN/BP-Au/GCE are attributed to formation of heterojunction between BP and mpg-CN materials. Additionally, Au nanoparticles increase the rate of adsorption of mpg-CN/BP due to the excellent electrical properties and spillover effect. We believe that the presented design and catalysis of the ternary nanocomposite will pave a way in many photo- and electrochemical applications.

The enhanced transfer behavior and tribological properties in deep sea environment of poly(butylene terephthalate) composites reinforced by silica nanoaerogels

For friction components served in the deep sea, the application of polymer composites is one of the most effective methods for lubrication failures. In this study, surface-treated SiO2 aerogel nanoparticles were incorporated into the poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) matrix. The tribological properties together with mechanical and thermal properties, seawater wettability and absorption of binary nanocomposites were investigated. The results show that SiO2 aerogel nanoparticles enhance the wear-resistance of composites by improving transfer behavior owing to their surface functional groups, small size and porous structure. However, the seawater pressure impedes the transfer of nanocomposites by degrading the adhesion between frictional interfaces, decreasing the cover area, continuity and thickness of transfer film.

Synthesis of a novel, ternary AgI/CeO2@g-C3N4 nanocomposite with exceptional stability and reusability for visible light-assisted photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium

This work demonstrates a highly efficient photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by using a AgI/CeO2@g-C3N4 nanocomposite, under visible light (Vis) irradiation. The as-prepared samples were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, XPS, DRS, PL, PC, and BET. Optimization of the treatment conditions included systematic parameterization, such as initial solution pH, photocatalyst dosage, and Cr(VI) concentration were investigated in the reaction. Compared with pure g-C3N4, CeO2, AgI, and CeO2@g-C3N4 binary nanocomposite, the as-made AgI/CeO2@g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposite showed significantly higher photo-reduction efficiency. The ternary photocatalyst shows a 99.6% reduction efficiency for Cr(VI) (15 mg/L) within 75 min at pH = 3.0. The highest rate constant value (0.058 min−1) was calculated for ternary photocatalyst that is 2.1 times higher than CeO2@g-C3N4/Vis process. The improved activity could be related to the effective electron/hole (e-/h+) pairs separation by forming a hetero-junction structure. The XPS analysis of recovered photocatalyst shows the presence only of Cr(III), which indicated a complete photo-reduction of Cr(VI) over AgI/CeO2@g-C3N4 nanocomposite. Moreover, the as-made photocatalyst exhibited more than 91% reduction efficiency after four cycles under the optimum reaction conditions. Based on the radical trapping experiments, photo-generated electrons (e−), and superoxide radicals O2∙- were the dominant active species in photo-catalytic Cr(VI) removal.

Facile one-pot solvothermal approach to produce inorganic binary TiO2@NiTiO3 and ternary Au-TiO2@NiTiO3 yellow nano-pigment for environmental and energy use

AbstarctHybrid titanium dioxide (TiO2) nickel titanate (NiTiO3) perovskite nanomaterials (TiO2@NiTiO3) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) supported on hybrid titania@nickel titanate (Au-TiO2@NiTiO3) were successfully synthesized using a modified solvothermal wet chemical procedure. A pigment yellow powders were obtained with high crystallinity as characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). TiO2 exhibits the anatase phase despite the calcination at 600 °C and NiTiO3 was found as expected to be in the ilmenite structure while gold retains the cubic structure. As will be shown below, the calcination treatments prove that the crystalline phase of the sample is very sensitive to the heat treatment. The obtained binary and ternary nanocomposites exhibit good optical response with interesting energy gap. The optical property of the nanocomposites was exploited for photocatalytic application against dyes molecules. The hybrid nanomaterial shows efficient photocatalytic activity compared to bare TiO2. Au/TiO2@NiTiO3 shows superior photocatalytic efficiency contrasted to TiO2 and to hybrid TiO2@NiTiO3 that make it a promising photocatalyst for diverse applications counting photovoltaic devices and solar cells.

Boosting Photocatalytic Activity Using Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO)/Semiconductor Nanocomposites: Issues and Future Scope.

Semiconductor nanoparticles are promising materials for light-driven processes such as solar-fuel generation, photocatalytic pollutant remediation, and solar-to-electricity conversion. Effective application of these materials alongside light can assist in reducing the dependence on fossil-fuel driven processes and aid in resolving critical environmental issues. However, severe recombination of the photogenerated charge-carriers is a persistent bottleneck in several semiconductors, particularly those that contain multiple cations. This issue typically manifests in the form of reduced lifetime of the photoexcited electrons-holes leading to a decrease in the quantum efficiency of various light-driven applications. On the other hand, semiconducting oxides or sulfides, coupled with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), have drawn a considerable interest recently, partly because of the RGO enhancing charge separation and transportation through its honeycomb sp2 network structure. High electron mobility, conductivity, surface area, and cost-effectiveness are the hallmark of the RGO. This Mini-Review focuses on (1) examining the approach to the integration of RGO with semiconductors to produce binary nanocomposites; (2) insights into the microstructure interface, which plays a critical role in leveraging charge transport; (3) key examples of RGO composites with oxide and sulfide semiconductors with photocatalysis as application; and (4) strategies that have to be pursued to fully leverage the benefit of RGO in RGO/semiconductors to attain high photocatalytic activity for a sustainable future. This Mini-Review focuses on areas requiring additional exploration to fully understand the interfacial science of RGO and semiconductor, for clarity regarding the interfacial stability between RGO and the semiconductor, electronic coupling at the heterojunction, and morphological properties of the nanocomposites. We believe that this Mini-Review will assist with streamlining new directions toward the fabrication of RGO/semiconductor nanocomposites with higher photocatalytic activity for solar-driven multifunctional applications.

Electrical studies on a single, binary, and ternary nanocomposites of Mn3O4@TiO2@rGO

The present work is concerned with studying the electrical and dielectric properties of a single, binary, and ternary nanocomposite of Mn3O4 (M), TiO2 (T), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The electrical properties of the investigated systems were studied via dc-, ac- conductivity, dielectric, and impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The electrical conductivity is found to increase in the following order: rGO > T@rGO > Ti > M@rGO > M@T > M@T@rGO > M. The dielectric constant (e′) and dielectric losses (e″) values of all materials showed a monotonous decrease with an exponential behavior by increasing the applied ac. Frequency. At constant frequency and temperature, the e′ value followed the order: TiO2 > rGO > T@rGO > M@rGO > M@T > M@T@rGO > M, whereas, the e″ value followed the order: T@rGO > T > rGO > M@rGO > M@T > M@T@rGO > M. The results obtained were explained and discussed.

Facile synthesis and characterization of conducting polymer-metal oxide based core-shell PANI-Pr2O–NiO–Co3O4 nanocomposite: As electrode material for supercapacitor

Metal oxide nanoparticles and their composites with conducting polymers, specifically Polyaniline (PANI) were utilized for fabricating nanoscale supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials. In the present study, we have synthesized pristine Pr2O3, NiO, Co3O4 nanoparticles, binary PANI-Pr2O3, PANI-NiO, PANI-Co3O4, ternary Pr2O3–NiO–Co3O4, and quaternary PANI-Pr2O3–NiO–Co3O4 spherical core-shell nanocomposite using co-precipitation and ultra-sonication methods. The grown samples were characterized with different analytical techniques. The XRD pattern revealed that the as-synthesized products were crystalline with Pr2O3 hexagonal phase, NiO cubic phase, and Co3O4 cubic phase in pure and nanocomposites. The Williamson-Hall, Scherrer, and size-strain plot methods were employed to study the crystalline development and contribution of micro-strain. FTIR pattern exhibited the metal-oxygen and PANI bond vibrations. FE-SEM images shown the spherical core-shell shape morphology of quaternary nanocomposite. EDX evident the presence of praseodymium, cobalt, and nickel in synthesized samples. UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed the absorption in the visible region. The IV graphs showed a higher conductivity of quaternary nanocomposite. The cyclic voltammetry results revealed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a higher specific capacitance 500 Fg-1 as compared to binary nanocomposites 134 F g−1 (PANI-Pr2O3), 143 F g−1 (PANI-Co3O4), 256 F g−1 (PANI-NiO), and PANI (90.8 F g−1) at a scan rate of 5 m Vs−1. The GCD results also showed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a higher specific capacitance of 905 F g−1 at current density 1 A g−1 with maximum energy density and power density of 87.99 kWhkg-1 and 2.6 k W kg−1, respectively. The EIS curve also confirmed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a lower polarization resistance (Rp) and solution resistance (Rs). The higher capacitance of quaternary nanocomposite can facilitate ion transfer, and the formation of its core-shell structure flourish to enhance surface-dependent electrochemical properties. Furthermore, this study gives a novel research idea to manufacture electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Synergistic effect of graphene with graphene oxide, nanoclay, and nanosilica in enhancing the mechanical and barrier properties of bromobutyl rubber/epoxidized natural rubber composites

AbstractThe present work aims to investigate the effect of hybrid nanofillers in bromobutyl rubber/epoxidized natural rubber (ENR 50) composites for developing highly air‐impermeable nanocomposites. The nanocomposites with hybrid nanofillers were prepared by a simple melt mixing method, and the morphology of the developed nanocomposites was studied using X‐Ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Improvement in the mechanical, barrier and dynamic properties can be observed for hybrid nanocomposites compared to the composites filled with individual graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The strong interfacial attraction between GNP monolayers enhance its aggregation in nanocomposites. While, in the current study the results are showing that the addition of graphene oxide, nanoclay, and nanosilica enhances the dispersion of GNP in the composites. The homogeneous dispersion of GNP nanofillers will develop a tortuous pathway in the composites, which are responsible for their air barrier properties. Bound rubber content and dynamic strain measurements (Payne effect) show a maximum value for binary nanocomposites.

Synthesis, characterization, and performance of nanocomposites containing reduced graphene oxide, polyaniline, and cobalt ferrite

In this study, binary and ternary nanocomposites have been fabricated via a selective combination of reduced graphene oxide, polyaniline, and cobalt ferrite components. The XRD results show that all nanocomposites were successfully synthesized. According to TEM micrographs, the wrinkled and transparent sheets are obtained for the reduced graphene oxide while polyaniline shows tubular morphology. Due to the presence of cobalt ferrite in the nanocomposite, a hard magnetic behavior is obtained that its intensity is strongly dependent on the location of this ferrite within the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the presence of Co ferrite leads to a considerable enhancement in the intensity of the PL peak observed at around 602 nm. Electrical measurements exhibit that dielectric properties have resulted from a contribution of interfacial and orientational polarization. In Co ferrite and all nanocomposites covered by Co ferrite, the interfacial polarization is predominated.

Construction of Core-Shell MOFs@COF Hybrids as a Platform for the Removal of UO22+ and Eu3+ Ions from Solution.

The binary nanocomposites of metal/covalent-organic frameworks (NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-1) were constructed by solvothermal method, which was developed as a multifunctional platform with adsorption and photocatalysis for radionuclides removal. The batch experiments and physicochemical property (FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, etc.) corroborated: (i) core-shell NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-1 had a more stable, multilayer pore structure and abundant active functional groups; (ii) NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-1 had fast a removal rate, as well as a high adsorption capacity of 536.73 mg (UO22+)/g and 593.97 mg (Eu3+)/g; (iii) the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir model provided a more reasonable description, indicating the immobilization process was endothermic, spontaneous chemisorption; (iv) the adsorption mechanism was chelation and electrostatic attraction, ascribed to the nitrogen/oxygen-containing functional groups. These results illustrated that NH2-MIL-125(Ti)@TpPa-1 was a prospective adsorbent for the remediation polluted by radionuclides. In addition, the research provided the theoretical basis for further investigation on the UO22+(VI) photoreduction.

Solar light irradiated photocatalytic activity of ZnO–NiO/rGO nanocatalyst

The current study is based on the synthesis and characterization of ZnO–NiO/rGO nanohybrid for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. The physicochemical properties of synthesized products were estimated by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy. The diffraction data showed the formation of binary metal oxide nanocomposite, containing ZnO in hexagonal whereas NiO in the cubic crystalline phase. XRD results revealed that the calculated crystallite size of NiO and ZnO in the ZnO–NiO nanocomposite was <20 nm. The spectroscopic results were found to be in close agreement with XRD data. The morphological analysis exposed the nano-island morphology of the product. The solar light assisted photocatalytic degradation outcome showed 89% degradation of methylene blue and 51% degradation of benzimidazole under similar conditions using ZnO–NiO/rGO nanohybrid. Moreover, the experiment showed that hydroxyl radicals, electrons, and holes were the main active species during the degradation mechanism. In contrast to the ZnO–NiO nanocomposite, the ZnO–NiO/rGO nanohybrid exhibited greater degradation efficiency. This superb photocatalytic performance of ZnO–NiO/rGO nanohybrid proved to be a durable candidate in the field of catalysis.

Iron (II and III) Oxides/Reduced Graphene Oxide/Polypyrrole Ternary Nanocomposite as Electrochemical Supercapacitor Electrode

In this work, ternary nanocomposites of iron (II and III) oxides/reduced graphene oxide/polypyrrole (iron oxide/rGO/PPy) have been prepared as the electrode materials of the supercapacitor. These nanocomposites were prepared via a facile two-step process including, the synthesis of iron oxides/rGO binary nanohybrids by a one-pot chemical-microwave method and in situ oxidative polymerization. The morphological and structural characterizations of these nanocomposites were demonstrated decoration of the iron oxides on GO sheets and proper formation of iron oxide/rGO/PPy ternary nanocomposites. The electrochemical performance evaluation of the samples revealed charge storage mechanisms in both the binary and ternary nanocomposites. A high specific capacitance of 626.8 F g−1 was obtained for the Fe2O3/rGO/PPy nanocomposite at a constant current density of 1 A g−1 in a 1 M H2SO4 solution electrolyte. This high specific capacitance (vs 158.2 F g−1 for Fe3O4/rGO/PPy) can be assigned to the attendance of both electrical double-layer capacitance (EDLC) and pseudocapacitance mechanisms in its charge storage. The Fe2O3/rGO/PPy nanocomposite revealed the highest energy density of 87.05 Wh kg−1 with a corresponding power density of 500 W kg−1. The frequency dependence and relaxation time constant investigation of these ternary nanocomposites revealed an ideal capacitive behavior at very low frequency and resistive behavior at the higher frequencies.

Enhancing the photodegradation of phenol using Fe3O4/SiO2 binary nanocomposite mediated by silane agent

Phenol and its derivatives are among the dangerous pollutants usually found in the wastewater of petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. Photodegradation is one of the most promising techniques to treat phenol-polluted wastewater. The lack of reusability of the photocatalyst and their high agglomeration tendency have reduced its stability and efficiency. To address these limitations, a binary nanocomposite of Fe3O4@SiO2 was synthesized in this study to be used as an active photocatalyst for the photodegradation of phenol under UV irradiation. Numerous physicochemical characterizations were performed to study the morphology, crystallinity, thermal stability of the prepared nanocomposite. These techniques confirmed the effective fusion of the two entities in the newly formed nanocomposite. The efficiency of the photocatalysts was steadily enhanced over the period investigated in this study. The phenol degradation efficacy of 84% was accomplished using Fe3O4@SiO2 composite, which was higher as compared to that of single Fe3O4 (59%). The newly prepared materials can be effectively recycled by facile magnetic separation method.

Shape-engineered carbon quantum dots embedded on CdS-nanorods for enhanced visible light harvesting towards photocatalytic application

Shape-engineered yellow-emissive carbon quantum dots (Y-CQDs) with discernible edges were synthesized. Three-fold-symmetric benzene-1,3,5-triol was a suitable precursor for controlling the specific structure and shape of CQDs via dehydration-facilitated covalent polymerization in sulfuric acid within 90 min of a thermal reaction at 190 °C. The formation mechanism involves ring cyclization of benzene-1,3,5-triol via a six-membered fashion through elimination of the neighboring active -H and –OH groups. Binary heterostructure nanocomposites, comprising CdS-nanorods (NRs) and Y-CQDs, were prepared using simple sonication followed by solvent evaporation under stirring. The nanocomposite with 6 wt% YCQDs (CdS@Y-CQDs-6) exhibited the highest enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) with a degradation efficiency of 98% within 45 min, and the degradation rate constant was ~4.8 times higher than that of pristine CdS-NRs under visible light irradiation. The degradation of RhB is carried out through the formation of a green emissive intermediate N-deethylated RhB. The improved photocatalytic degradation performance of CdS@Y-CQDs nanocomposites is attributed to the formation of near-surface heterojunction of surface-adsorbed specific-shaped Y-CQDs, which can widen the range of light absorption and promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in CdS-NRs by trapping and boosting the transfer of photo excited charge carriers over the surface.

High-performance supercapacitor electrode materials based on chemical co-precipitation synthesis of nickel oxide (NiO)/cobalt oxide (Co3O4)-intercalated graphene nanosheets binary nanocomposites

Graphene (Gr)/metal oxide nanocomposites, as advanced electrode materials, have drawn significant attention in supercapacitors due to their two components' synergistic cooperation, which compensates each other's drawbacks and hence perform better than their individual components. In this study, two graphene/metal oxide nanocomposites, Gr/NiO and Gr/Co3O4 binaries were separately synthesized by a co-precipitation method in which NiO or Co3O4 as interlayer spacers were inserted into the graphene structure. The as-synthesized electroactive materials were drop-cast on the as-grown Cu(OH)2 nanowire arrays/Cu substrates fabricated by drenching copper into a rich-alkaline solution. Three-electrode's electrochemical characterizations in 6 M KOH electrolyte showed that Gr/Co3O4 and Gr/NiO exhibit high capacitances of 342.6 and 652 F g−1 at the scan sweep of 5 mV s−1, and 278.5 and 667.58 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1, respectively. In addition, the power density of 250 W kg−1 leads to the energy densities of 23.17 and 9.7 Wh kg−1 for Gr/NiO and Gr/Co3O4, respectively. The Gr/NiO with the cyclic stability of 95% has a better electrochemical performance than Gr/Co3O4 (with the cyclic stability of 83%), implying more pseudocapacitance contribution of the NiO nanoparticles embedded within the graphene nanosheets and more efficient synergistic cooperation between these two components. Furthermore, full Gr/NiO/Cu(OH)2/Cu||Gr/NiO/Cu(OH)2/Cu and Gr/Co3O4/Cu(OH)2/Cu||Gr/Co3O4/Cu(OH)2/Cu symmetric cells in the organic electrolyte of 1 M TEA-BF4 in acetonitrile within the potential window of 2 V were also assembled and at 10 mV s−1, exhibited the highest specific capacitances of 32.67 and 24.86 F g−1, respectively.

Sepiolite-embedded binary nanocomposites of (alkyl)methacrylate-based responsive polymers: Role of silanol groups of fibrillar nanoclay on functional and thermomechanical properties

Binary nanocomposites filled with fibrillar nanoclay sepiolite (SP) was manufactured using a hydrophilic terpolymer matrix containing 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid. A direct correlation between dispersion of nanofillers, matrix-filler local interaction and improvement of macroscopical mechanical properties was obtained. Mechanical testing revealed that incorporation of SP nanofillers impart to terpolymer matrix a higher degree of reinforcement. Besides fibrous structure of SP, the interactions between silanol (-SiOH) groups present along fibers and terpolymer chains are responsible of extent of reinforcement of nanocomposites. The increase in modulus imparted by incorporation of -SiOH groups reflected a continuous increase in crosslinking density created by terpolymer-nanofiller interactions. Effective crosslink density of nanocomposites was expressed by a cubic polynomial function of SP loading. Swelling ratio of SP nanofiller containing nanocomposites was found to highly decrease at CSP > 3.50%(w/v), with regard to clay-free terpolymers reflecting strong interactions between pendant hydroxyl, carbonly, tertiary amino groups of terpolymer matrix and silanol groups of SP. Excellent pH-responsive swelling was observed in the range of pH 2.1–10.7 and the nanocomposites swelled in acidic conditions depending on the amount of protonated diethyl amino groups. Sensitivity sequence of terpolymer nanocomposites to mono- and di-valent cations with a common anion (Cl−) on swelling was Na+ > K+ > Mg2+. The control of quantity of SP fibers and polymerization temperature allows to manage mechanical properties by just tuning chemical architecture of terpolymer/clay nanocomposites. SP reinforcement of terpolymers can enrich various further characteristics such as targeted delivery of biomolecules or drugs.

Recent advancements of spinel ferrite based binary nanocomposite photocatalysts in wastewater treatment

A lot of studies on spinel ferrites (MFe2O4, M = divalent metal ion) and their binary nanocomposites as photocatalysts in the decontamination of wastewater have been performed, because MFe2O4 nanoparticles are relatively stable, biocompatible and low-cost efficient photocatalyst. The separation of MFe2O4 photocatalyst is easy owing to its excellent magnetic behavior. With this background, the recent developments on photocatalytic performances of MFe2O4 based binary nanocomposites were comprehensively reviewed. Especially, a focus on MFe2O4/metal oxides, MFe2O4/carbon based materials, MFe2O4/polymers, MFe2O4/metal nanoparticles and MFe2O4/other compounds for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes, emerging contaminants and inorganic pollutants has been thoroughly given. The advantages of MFe2O4 based nanocomposites as photocatalysts were also discussed. In addition, the possible pathway of active free radical generation by these photocatalysts under visible and ultraviolet irradiation has been explained. A comparison of photocatalytic activities of MFe2O4 based binary nanocomposites with recent reports has been carried out. This review concludes that MFe2O4 based binary nanocomposites have potential capacity in water purification technology. Nevertheless, their practical utilization in water treatment plants still needs to be further studied.

Evaluation of structural, electrical and magnetic properties of nanosized unary, binary and ternary particles of Fe3O4, SnO2 and TiO2

In the present study, unary, binary and ternary nanoparticles (NPs) of Fe3O4, TiO2 and SnO2 were synthesized using microemulsion assisted precipitation method. For characterization we have used the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), UV–Visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The measured electrical properties were used to determine the resistance and conduction processes. Two-point probe method was applied for measuring the DC electrical resistivity between 303–723 K, while the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) was used to measure the magnetic properties. The band gap study reveals that a low band gap of Fe3O4 compared to other nanoparticles suggests that it is more reactive than the TiO2 and SnO2 investigated in this study. It was observed that the electrical resistivity decreased with an increase in the temperature, indicated the increase in drift mobility. The activation energy value of ternary nanocomposites (TNC) was found higher than the corresponding unary NPs and binary nanocomposites. As far as the magnetic properties are concerned, Fe3O4 NPs were ferrimagnetic while the others have shown paramagnetic behavior under the applied magnetic field.

Interfacial Compatibilization in Ternary Polymer Nanocomposites: Comparing Theory and Experiments

In this work, we examine binary and ternary nanocomposites of poly(methyl methacrylate) grafted silica nanoparticles (PMMA-NP), in poly(styrene-ran-acrylonitrile) (SAN), and poly(methyl methacrylate) matrices as a platform to directly probe governing parameters guiding phase behavior and nanoparticle assembly in composite materials. Through the addition of PMMA matrix chains similar in molecular weight to the grafted PMMA chains and significantly smaller than the SAN matrix chains, we observe increased nanoparticle miscibility in off-critical compositions due to interfacial segregation of PMMA matrix chains. A simple interfacial model provides a general guideline for predicting the extent of compatibilization. Further insights on compatibilization behavior are provided by polymer particle pair correlation functions and structure factors obtained using polymer reference interaction site model theory calculations as well as polymer concentration profiles from molecular dynamics simulations. This study serves as a guideline to facilitate PNC processing and design of materials for a broad range of technological applications.

Fabrication of Fe2TiO5/TiO2 binary nanocomposite from natural ilmenite and their photocatalytic activity under solar energy

Heterogeneous photocatalysis is an attractive alternative route to enhance the degradation of environmental pollutants. In this work, we have fabricated Fe2TiO5/TiO2 binary nanocomposites using natural ilmenite via bottom up approach. Synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance UV–Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These nanoparticles are in the range of 40–70 ​nm and are of type I heterostructure with a band gap of 2.02 ​eV. They are sensitive to visible light and show higher photocatalytic activity under direct solar energy. Photocatalytic activity of Fe2TiO5/TiO2 was assessed using a model textile dye, methylene blue. Over a period of 2 ​h, 76% of methylene blue was photodegraded at a rate of 0.0084 min−1 in the presence of Fe2TiO5/TiO2.