Effect Of Interfacial Interaction Research Articles

Construction of myofibrillar protein-based pickering emulsion for grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) based on interfacial self-assembly of spice aldehyde molecules: Mechanism and application of imine reaction-stabilized emulsion.

The purpose of this research is to investigate multiple structural spice aldehydes (cinnamaldehyde (CA), citronellal (CN), and melonal (MA)) interact with myofibrillar protein in grass carp (GCMP) and the effects of interfacial interactions on stability properties of Pickering emulsion. It was demonstrated that the functional characteristics of interfacial protein might be greatly improved by the complexation of spice aldehydes with protein particles at the water-oil interface. The fluorescence quenching and molecular docking results revealed that the binding mode of spice aldehyde is primarily dominated by hydrophobic interactions, yet there are hydrogen bonding interactions exist in special structure. When comparing multiple structure aldehyde, CA has a greater binding affinity than CN and MA, as well as the most binding sites at different temperatures. Among them, the interaction of CA and GCMP is enhanced by forming hydrogen bonds through π-bonds owing to its special aromatic ring structure. The O/W structure was further stabilized by the formation of conjugated and unconjugated imines of interfacial protein with spice aldehydes. This work provides a theoretical basis for the interaction and development of protein particles with spice aldehyde in Pickering emulsion stabilization and novel ideas for the application of low value aquatic protein for high quality.

A novel water‐based mechanochemical approach for surface modification of graphene platelets and their epoxy nanocomposites

AbstractGraphene (nano) platelets (GPs) are cost‐effective and possess high structural integrity, but their limited surface functional groups hinder their compatibility with polymers. In this study, an eco‐friendly, water‐based mechanochemical approach was developed to modify GPs with polyacrylamide (PAM), creating PAM graphene platelets (PAM‐GPs) with a grafting ratio of approximately 15%. The platelet was measured to be a few nanometers in thickness, and the grafted PAM provides abundant functional groups, including amide groups, which enhance compatibility with polymers. A typical polymer, bisphenol‐A epoxy, was compounded with PAM‐GPs, resulting in a high degree of exfoliation and dispersion of PAM‐GPs within the matrix. The resulting epoxy/PAM‐GP composites exhibited significantly improved mechanical properties, including an 18% increase in Young's modulus and a substantial enhancement in fracture toughness, with a 71% increase at a low filler fraction of 0.5 wt%. These improvements are attributed to the effective interfacial interaction between the PAM‐GPs and the epoxy matrix, facilitated by the grafted functional groups. This study highlights the potential of PAM‐GPs as toughening fillers for epoxy composites, emphasizing their applicability in enhancing the durability and performance of structural components in industrial applications.Highlights Polyacrylamide (PAM)‐modified graphene platelets by a water‐based approach. A strong interface promoted exfoliation and dispersion of platelets. PAM‐modified platelets improved epoxy modulus and toughness. Fractographic analysis unveils toughening mechanisms.

MoS2@Hydrochar nanocomposites with cost-effective fluid turbulent eddies induced piezoelectric catalytic peroxymonosulfate utilization efficiency for water polluted dye degradation

Piezoelectric materials can induce strain due to the fluid turbulent force produced during fluid shaking, which may be used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS). In this study, the effective interfacial interaction of few-odd-numbered layered MoS2 nanosheets and hydrochar (HC) nanocomposites as the piezoelectric material was used in a hydrodynamics energy-driven piezoelectric catalytic PMS activation process (piezo-PMS activation process) for Eriochrome Black T dye degradation. The results showed that Black T dye was efficiently degraded with an efficiency of 99.23 % within 15 min and a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 3.10 min−1 in the MoS2@HC-(6.5:3.5)/PMS/Shaking system. To clearly see the influence of hydraulic gradient (G) value, the hydrodynamics energy-driven piezo-PMS activation process for Black T dye degradation was performed at different shaking frequencies. The results indicated an optimal G value of (14.106 s−1) for Black T dye degradation. Notably, the MoS2@HC-(6.5:3.5)/ PMS/Shaking system produced the lowest EE/O value (34.05 kWhm−3 order−1), resulting in energy savings over 127 times of HC and 9 times of MoS2. Furthermore, piezoelectrochemical measurements of MoS2@HC-(6.5:3.5) indicated that these superior performances primarily resulted from the synergistic effects of MoS2 and HC. This led to a stronger piezoelectric response with effective piezo-generated charge separation, which in turn improved the efficiency of producing reactive species. Combining the scavenger test, FT-IR, and zeta potential analysis, we determined that •OH and SO4•− played a major role, while O2•− and 1O2 played a secondary role in Black T dye degradation. The steady-state concentrations of [•OH]ss, and [SO4•−]ss were 14.52 × 10−14 M and 20.00 × 10−14 M, respectively in the fluid turbulent force driven piezo-PMS activation process. Furthermore, a plausible degradation pathway of Black T dye was proposed based on the assessment of carbon number reduction, the mean oxidation number of organic carbon (MOC) and the predicted TOC/color index.

Effect of Interfacial Interaction on Electrocatalytic Activity and Durability of Pt-Based Core–Shell Nanocatalysts

Effect of Interfacial Interaction on Electrocatalytic Activity and Durability of Pt-Based Core–Shell Nanocatalysts

Polyetherimide nanocomposite with enhanced mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties by incorporating synergistically exfoliated‐chemical functionalization induced hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets

AbstractThe present study aims to improve the mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of polyetherimide (PEI) nanocomposite via simplified method, involving the creation of a nanocomposite using PEI incorporated with exfoliated‐chemical functionalization induced hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS). XRD, FTIR and Raman elucidated the chemical structure of functionalized BNNS and indicated the success preparation of functionalized BNNS. Functionalization effectively improved the compatibility of nanocomposites and contributed to the property improvements. Morphological analysis unveiled a compact and dense microstructure within the nanocomposites in correlation with functionalized BNNS. Broad band dielectric spectroscopy revealed excellent dielectric properties of produced PEI nanocomposite. DMA testing verified a noteworthy enhancement in both Tg and storage modulus upon incorporating of BNNS. In summary, this comprehensive investigation highlights the impact of functionalized BNNS on mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of developed PEI dielectric nanocomposite and is expected to expand the application of PEI in the field of high‐temperature energy storage.Highlights Polyetherimide (PEI) was used as polymer matrix and boron nitride derivatives as dielectric fillers to prepare PEI dielectric nanocomposite. Due to the influences of dielectric properties by interface polarization effect and the local distribution of electric field of the fillers in PEI matrix, the dielectric constant, breakdown strength and energy storage density of PEI nanocomposites were obviously improved compared with pure PEI. The effects of interfacial interactions between PBNNS and PEI contributes to the uniform dispersion and comprehensive property improvements of PEI dielectric nanocomposites. This work presents a systematic investigation into the fabrication of PEI/BNNS nanocomposite using a one‐step solution blending method, inspiring the research and development of PEI in the energy storage applications areas in the future.

Interfacial effects on photooxidative aging of silica-filled polypropylene composites

The nature of the functional groups on the filler surface is one of the key influences on the interfacial interaction in the aging of polymer composites. However, the characteristics of this interfacial effect and its relation with functional groups remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of interfacial interactions on the photooxidative aging of silica-filled polypropylene (PP) composites in which the interfaces comprise functional groups possessing different photooxidative properties. Results showed that the effects of interfacial interactions on the photooxidative aging of the silica-filled PP composites were closely related to the composition of the interfacial functional groups. Since the effect of interfacial interactions on the PP oxidation rate was correlated with the concentration of the interfacial functional groups, an aging kinetic model of interfacial effects could be constructed for determining the role of interfacial functional groups in the photooxidative aging of PP composites. This study will provide new ideas for developing interfacial antioxidant strategies for polymer composites.

Effect of interfacial interaction on polymorphic selection during epitaxy revealed by crystallization of isotactic poly(1-butene) on its highly oriented form I substrate

The performance of polymer composite materials depends not only on the multiscale structures of used components but also the interfacial structure between the separated phases. Epitaxy provides an effective strategy for purposeful regulation of the interfacial structure and the crystal structure of the epilayer, both are vital to control the performance of the composite. The accurate control of crystal and orientation structures is generally associated to some kind lattice matching between the epitaxial pairs. The crystallization of poly(1-butene) (iPBu) on its highly oriented form I (iPBu-I) crystals results, however, in the formation of highly oriented form II (iPBu-II) lamellar crystals. Therefore, the influencing factors for crystal modification selection during epitaxy of polymorphic iPBu have been discussed in details based on the results obtained in this work and reported in previous work. It is concluded that the selection of crystal modification during epitaxy of iPBu is determined by the synergistic effect of its crystallization kinetics, as well as the lattice matching and interfacial tension of it with different substrates. This work may be of great significance for the in-depth understanding of the crystal modification selection rule in epitaxy and precise substrate selection to manipulate specific crystal modification of polymorphic polymers.

Preparation and properties of polyvinylidene fluoride dielectric nanocomposites for energy storage applications through synergistic addition of ionic liquid‐modified graphene oxide nanosheets and functionalized barium titanate hybrid fillers

AbstractTo tackle the challenge of filler agglomeration and low interfacial bonding strength during manufacturing filled polymer dielectric nanocomposites containing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, the author proposed an interface design strategy based on the synergistic hybridization of ionic liquid (IL) modification and different dimensional fillers. GO nanosheets were functionalized by IL, and then polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) dielectric nanocomposites (GO‐g‐IL/PVDF) were prepared and evaluated. Based on this, hydroxylated barium titanate BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL/PVDF ternary nanocomposites were further prepared. A comprehensive analysis of the morphology, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and dielectric properties of the PVDF dielectric nanocomposites was systematically conducted. The results showed that IL was successfully grafted on GO, benefiting an increase in the filler dispersion and interfacial bonding strength. GO‐g‐IL also promoted β‐crystal formation of PVDF and increment of crystallinity. DSC test further revealed that the inclusion of BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL as dielectric nanofillers promoted the formation of multiple crystal types in PVDF and accelerated the crystallization process. The incorporation of GO‐g‐IL facilitated the formation of localized conductive networks within the PVDF matrix, leading to enhanced electronic displacement polarization and an improved dielectric constant. The dielectric constants of the GO‐g‐IL/PVDF composites containing 2% and 8% of GO‐g‐IL were measured to be 24.28 and 78.46, which were found to be 2.6 and 8.4 times higher than that of pure PVDF. However, the dielectric loss also increased sharply at high nanofiller loading. The dielectric constant and loss of the BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL/PVDF nanocomposites were found to be 40.32 and 0.38, with a content of 2% for GO‐g‐IL and 20% for BT‐OH.Highlights A facile interface design strategy based on ionic liquid (IL) integrating GO nanosheets and hydroxylated barium titanate (BT‐OH) to form BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL compounding nanofiller has been proposed. PVDF dielectric nanocomposites containing BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL compounding nanofiller were systematically investigated and compared. The effects of interfacial interactions between BT‐OH@GO‐g‐IL and PVDF contribute to the uniform dispersion and comprehensive property improvements of PVDF dielectric nanocomposites. This work provides a novel strategy for the fabrication of PVDF dielectric nanocomposites, inspiring the research and development of PVDF in the energy storage applications areas in the future.

Rapid switching capability and efficient magnetoelectric coupling mediated by effective interfacial interactions in Bi0·9La0·1FeO3/SrCoO3 bi-phase composites for ultra-sensitive pulsating devices

Magnetoelectric coupling and switching charge density in multiferroics have gained the attention of researchers around the world for energy storage, energy harvesting, and their potential applications for pulsating devices. In multiferroics, the absence of inversion symmetry and the presence of antiferromagnetic symmetry give rise to intriguing magnetoelectric coupling. In this paper, bi-phase composites, (1–x)Bi0·9La0·1FeO3 + xSrCoO3 for x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 are made by a facile and time-saving sol–gel auto-combustion technique. For this, we employed lanthanum-doped BiFeO3 to avoid the volatilization of bismuth ions. The composition 0.8Bi0·9La0·1FeO3 + 0.2SrCoO3 (x = 0.2) showed the maximum polarization (Pmax = 2.45 × 10−3 μC/cm2) and effective interfacial interactions depicting symmetrical magnetoelectric coupling response with least distortion along with significant switching charge density (i.e., Qsw = – 2.124 × 10−5 μC/cm2). Whereas reduction in leakage current density is observed with the inclusion of SrCoO3 contents into pure BLFO during polarization phenomena, confirming its insulating properties. Switching charge density from the positive-up- negative-down sequence not only ensured the suitability of switching applications in pulsating devices but also displayed its reliability and long-term stability. The symmetric magnetoelectric coupling showed its potential use in piezoelectric actuators and energy harvester applications. Magnetic attributes and multidomain structures were confirmed by the vibrating sample magnetometer. The maximum value of the squareness ratio appears to be 0.1035 confirming the existence of a multidomain structure for all samples. These outcomes suggest that this particular composition seems extremely viable in developing ultra-sensitive pulsating devices attributed with significant switching charge density.

The anti-correlation effect of alkyl chain size on the photovoltaic performance of centrally extended non-fullerene acceptors.

Contrary to previous results, a unique anti-correlation effect of the alkyl chain size on the photovoltaic performance of acceptors was observed. For a centrally-extended acceptor, replacing linear alkyl chains (n-undecyl for CH-BBQ) on the thienothiophene unit with branched ones (2-butyloctyl for CH-BO) leads to a plunge in the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells (18.12% vs. 11.34% for binary devices), while the largely shortened ones (n-heptyl for CH-HP) bring a surge in performance (18.74%/19.44% for binary/ternary devices). Compared with CH-BO, the more compact intermolecular packing of CH-HP facilitates carrier transport. The characterization of organic field effect transistors and carrier dynamics also echoes the above results. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the encounter of the branched alkyl chains and the extended central core hinders the effective interfacial interaction of polymer donors and acceptors, thus deteriorating the device performance. This work suggests that the conventional strategy for alkyl chain engineering of Y-series acceptors might need to be reconsidered in other molecular systems.

A "Mesh Scaffold" that regulates the mechanical properties and restricts the phase transition-induced volume change of the PNIPAM-based hydrogel for wearable sensors.

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is capable of improving the reversibility and responsiveness of flexible electronics. However, its phase transition-induced volume variation and poor adhesiveness remain limitations for expending its applications. Herein, a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), which is a type of mesh scaffold, is constructed inside the network of PNIPAM, providing the hydrogel with a constant volume in response to different temperatures, in situ tunable mechanical properties, and superior adhesiveness. The reversible density of the mesh scaffold adjusts the aggregation state of the hydrogel chains, whereupon it is capable of changing its mechanical modulus from 6.7 kPa to 45.3 kPa. This mechanical mechanism contributes to hydrogel-based flexible devices for multiple applications, especially in pressure-related sensors. The mesh scaffold restricts the phase-transition-induced volume variation, which allows the hydrogel sensor to stably monitor the external pressure at various temperatures. The high adhesion enables the effective interfacial interaction with the skin, avoiding the loss of sensing signals during the detection of human body movements. When it is assembled into an electronic device, it can transmit information and recognize sign language via Morse code. Thus, herein, we report a hydrogel sensor that is promising for pressure detection in temperature-unstable environments, especially for managing the health of patients who require emergency medical care through sign language recognition.

Surface structure design of boron nitride nanotubes and mechanism of their regulation on properties of epoxy composite dielectric

Adding nanofillers into epoxy resin matrices is a common method to achieve their multi-function. Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with one-dimensional nanostructures have attracted much attention because of their ultra-high thermal conductivity, wide energy level band gap, high aspect ratio and mechanical strength. Yet, the strong π-π non-covalent bonding and lip-lip interactions make BNNTs prone to agglomeration in the epoxy resin matrix. Moreover, the different physicochemical properties of BNNTs and epoxy resins as well as the chemical inertness of BNNTs surface lead to the lack of effective interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix. Therefore, the performance of the epoxy composite dielectric is not enhanced by simple blending solely, but will even have the opposite effect. To address the problems of BNNTs, in this study, the surface structure of BNNTs is constructed from the perspective of interface modulation by using sol-gel method to coat mesoporous silica (mSiO<sub>2</sub>) on BNNTs’ surface and further introducing silane coupling agent (KH560). The results indicate that the surface structure of BNNTs can optimize the level of interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix, which leads to stronger interfacial connection and elimination of internal pore phenomenon. The dielectric constant and loss of the composite dielectric prepared in this way are further reduced, reaching 4.1 and 0.005 respectively at power frequency, which is significantly lower than that of pure epoxy resin. At the same time, the mechanical toughness (3.01 MJ/m<sup>3</sup>) and thermal conductivity (0.34 W/(m⋅K)) are greatly improved compared with the counterparts of pure epoxy resin. In addition, the unique nano-mesoporous structure of mSiO<sub>2</sub> endows the composite dielectric with a large number of deep traps, which effectively hinders the migration of electrons, thereby improving the electrical strength of the composite dielectric, and the breakdown field strength reaches 95.42 kV/mm. Furthermore, the interfacial mechanism of BNNTs’ surface structure on dielectric relaxation and trap distribution of composite dielectrics is systematically studied by Tanaka multinuclear model. The above results indicate that the good interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix is crucial in establishing the micro-interface structure and improving the macroscopic properties of composite dielectrics. This study presents a novel idea for the multifunctionalities of epoxy resin, and also provides some experimental data support for revealing the correlation among surface properties of nano-fillers, microstructure and macroscopic properties of composite dielectric.

Enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of vanadium oxide by interface interaction with rGO and NiO nanostructures for electrochemical water oxidation

The crucial requirement for achieving the high-efficiency industrialization of electrochemical water splitting lies in the development of proficient electrocatalysts designed to moderate the energy barriers associated with both the hydrogen and the oxygen evolution reaction (HER and OER). Improving performance and efficiency is the main objective behind the search for new types of electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting. Existing electrocatalysts have limitations, such as high energy barriers and material stability issues, which hinder the overall effectiveness of water splitting. Therefore, the invention of new electrocatalysts with desired performance is desired to overcome these challenges. Herein, an interconnected vanadium oxide-reduced graphene oxide-nickel oxide (VrG/NiO) electrocatalyst is recognized for efficient OER performance. The flower-like spherical structure of V2O5 adhered with NiO on the rGO surface and generated an effective interfacial interaction between the electrocatalyst materials. Among the different combinations, the desired ratio of VrG/NiO electrocatalyst exhibits a lower overpotential (η10 = 155.4 mV) and Tafel slope (84.1 mV.dec−1) for OER in 1 M KOH. The VrG/NiO electrocatalyst showed stable performance after 5000 cyclic voltammetry cycles and chronopotentiometry (15 h) analyses. For overall water splitting, VrG/NiO attained a low cell voltage (1.73V@10mA cm−2). The efficient OER performance attained by the VrG/NiO electrocatalyst is due to its resourceful electrochemical active surface area (Cdl = 43.18 mF cm−2), redox capability, and synergistic effects.

Observation of an abnormally large bandgap in monolayer 1T′-WS2 grown on SrTiO3(001)

The 1T′ structural phase of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se, Te) has attracted broad interest because of an exotic quantum spin Hall insulator state. Among them, the investigation on the electronic structures of the 1T′-WS2 monolayer is still lacking due to the difficulty in obtaining the 1T′-WS2 as a metastable phase. Here, we report the growth of 1T′ phase WS2 monolayer on the SrTiO3 (001) substrate using molecular beam epitaxy. Surprisingly, a large bandgap of 0.65 eV is revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy, which is abnormally larger than the theoretical expectance. Moreover, an additional near-flatband emerges in the grown monolayer 1T′-WS2. The abnormally large bandgap and the emerging near-flatband are suggested to be the effect of interfacial interactions. Our findings provide important information about electronic structures and the interfacial effect of the epitaxial 1T′-WS2 monolayer on the SrTiO3(001) substrate and would stimulate future theoretical and experimental research on the 1T′-MX2 family.

Facile and Scalable Strategy for Fabricating Highly Thermally Conductive Epoxy Composites Utilizing 3D Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheet Skeleton.

The application of high-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs) for thermal management is commonly used to tackle the problem of heat accumulation, which influences the performance and reliability of microelectronic devices. Herein, a novel three-dimensional (3D) carbon nitride nanosheet (CNNS)/epoxy composite with high thermal conductivity was developed by introducing 3D CNNS skeleton fillers prepared by a facile and scalable strategy assisted by a salt template. Benefiting from the continuous heat transfer pathways formed in the CNNS skeleton, 17.0 wt % 3D CNNS/epoxy composites achieve a superior thermal conductivity of 1.27 W/m·K, which is 6.35 and 1.57 times higher than those of epoxy resin and convention CNNS/epoxy, respectively. With the aid of theoretical model analysis and finite element simulation, the pronounced enhancement effect of the 3D CNNS skeleton on the thermal conductivity of epoxy composites is found to be attributed to the continuous 3D CNNS thermally conductive network, the diminished CNNS-CNNS interfacial thermal resistance, and the effective interfacial interactions between epoxy and CNNS. In addition, the 3D CNNS/epoxy composites possess high electrical insulation and desirable mechanical strength. Therefore, 3D CNNS/epoxy composites are promising TIMs for advanced electronic thermal management.

Effects of interfacial interactions on structural, optical, thermal degradation properties and photocatalytic activity of low-density polyethylene/BaTiO3 nanocomposite

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) filled low density polyethylene (LDPE), (LDPE)100−x/(BaTiO3)x (where x = 0, 2, 4, 6 and 10) nanocomposites are prepared via a solvent-free melt-mixing method. The effects of nano-sized BaTiO3 (nBT) on the structural, optical and thermal degradation properties of LDPE are investigated to address the qualitative interfacial interaction effects due to the spatial distribution of nBT particles in the LDPE matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm the uniform dispersion of nBT nano-fillers in the LDPE polymer matrix. The crystallite size of LDPE increases with increasing the nBT content. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicate the enhancement in interfacial physical interactions between the polymer and nano-fillers with increasing nano-filler content. The band gap energy of the nanocomposites decreases with increasing nano-filler content, which suggests chemical imperfections close to the interfaces. DSC results depict higher Tm values for the composites which is attributed to the heterogeneous nucleating effects of the nBT particles. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicate an increase in the decomposition temperature (TD), thermal stability and good dispersibility probability of nBT with increasing nBT. The photocatalytic decomposition of MB is highest (73.52%) for the 10% nBT incorporated LDPE nanocomposite sample. These results correlate with the effect of the interfacial interactions between the nBT fillers and the LDPE polymer matrix.

Top-down and matchable interfacial engineering to construct hierarchical deformed NiS/NiCoP for hydrogen evolution reaction over a broad pH range

Optimizing adsorption and dissociation energies of water and hydrogen intermediate (H*) is crucial for improving hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) kinetics in a broad pH range. Herein, a hierarchical deformed NiS/NiCoP (d-NiCoSP) is innovatively construct via top-down and matchable interfacial engineering. The unique structure benefit form in-situ sulfur ion selective etching and followed by phosphorization. The optimal d-NiCoSP electrocatalyst exhibits the ultra-low overpotentials of 60, 95 and 71 mV at 10 mA cm−2 for HER in acidic, neutral and alkaline media, respectively. The remarkable reduction of H* can be ascribed to the internal exposure of abundant adsorption sites and effective interfacial interaction. Besides, density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirm that d-NiCoSP is profitable for HER since optimized electronic enrichment in NiCoP and electronic vacancy in NiS at interface, resulting in easier adsorption and dissociation of water and H*. Notably, the construction of an effective d-NiCoSP through morphology regulation and combination of different phases with complementary advantages is promising for developing HER electrocatalysts over a broad pH range.

Construction of renewable biomass cardanol functionalized spherical nanoparticles achieving favorable interfacial interaction and thermostability in styrene butadiene rubber matrix

AbstractTo expand the application of natural resources in the green rubber industry and reduce the dependence of rubber additives on the non‐renewable petrochemical resources, a novel cardanol‐based natural rubber additive (silica‐s‐LPCGE) is prepared. Compared with the directly adding of silica and LPCGE, silica‐s‐LPCGE is assisted to form an effective interfacial interaction between the rubber matrix and the filler during rubber vulcanization by the immobilized LPCGE on silica surface, to improve the mechanical property and processability of styrene‐butadiene rubber (SBR)/silica‐s‐LPCGE composites. Meanwhile, with the introduce of silica‐s‐LPCGE, the aging resistance and migration resistance of the SBR composites are also improved obviously. The preparation of this novel multifunctional supported natural biomass processing additive provides a new possibility for the preparation of green rubber additives.

Coco Monoethanolamide Surfactant as a Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel: Theoretical and Experimental Investigations.

Recent studies indicate that surfactants are a relatively new and effective class of corrosion inhibitors that almost entirely meet the criteria for a chemical to be used as an aqueous phase corrosion inhibitor. They possess the ideal hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity ratio, which is crucial for effective interfacial interactions. In this study, a coconut-based non-ionic surfactant, namely, coco monoethanolamide (CMEA), was investigated for corrosion inhibition behaviour against mild steel (MS) in 1 M HCl employing the experimental and computational techniques. The surface morphology was studied employing the scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and contact measurements. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) was evaluated to be 0.556 mM and the surface tension corresponding to the CMC was 65.28 mN/m. CMEA manifests the best inhibition efficiency (η%) of 99.01% at 0.6163 mM (at 60 °C). CMEA performs as a mixed-type inhibitor and its adsorption at the MS/1 M HCl interface followed the Langmuir isotherm. The theoretical findings from density functional theory (DFT), Monte Carlo (MC), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations accorded with the experimental findings. The MC simulation's assessment of CMEA's high adsorption energy (-185 Kcal/mol) proved that the CMEA efficiently and spontaneously adsorbs at the interface.

Research on the surface structure engineering of boron nitride nanotubes and mechanism of their regulation on the properties of epoxy composite dielectric

Adding nanofillers to epoxy resin matrices is a common approach to achieve their multi-function, among which boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) with one-dimensional nanostructures have attracted much attention because of their ultra-high thermal conductivity, wide energy level band gap, high aspect ratio and mechanical strength. Yet, the strong π-π non-covalent bonding and lip-lip interactions make BNNTs prone to agglomeration in the epoxy resin matrix. Moreover, the different physicochemical properties of BNNTs and epoxy resins as well as the chemical inertness of BNNTs surface lead to the lack of effective interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix. Therefore, the performance of the epoxy composite dielectric is not enhanced by simple blending solely, but will even have the opposite effect. To address the problems of BNNTs, in this article, the surface structure of BNNTs was constructed from the perspective of interface modulation by using sol-gel method to coat mesoporous silica (mSiO<sub>2</sub>) on BNNTs surface and further introducing silane coupling agent (KH560). The results indicate that constructing the surface structure of BNNTs can optimize the level of interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix, which results in stronger interfacial connection and elimination of internal pore phenomenon. The dielectric constant and loss of the composite dielectric prepared in this way were further reduced, reaching 4.1 and 0.005 respectively at power frequency, which was significantly lower than that of pure epoxy resin. At the same time, the mechanical toughness (3.01 MJ/m<sup>3</sup>) and thermal conductivity (0.34 W/(m·K)) were greatly improved compared with pure epoxy resin. In addition, the unique nano-mesoporous structure of mSiO<sub>2</sub> endowed the composite dielectric with a large number of deep traps, which effectively hinders the migration of electrons, thereby improving the electrical strength of the composite dielectric, and the breakdown field strength reached 95.42 kV/mm. Further, Tanaka multinuclear model was used to systematically investigate the interfacial mechanism of BNNTs surface structure construct on dielectric relaxation and trap distribution of composite dielectrics. The above results indicated that the good interfacial interaction between BNNTs and epoxy resin matrix was crucial for the establishment of the micro-interface structure and the improvement of macroscopic properties of composite dielectrics. This paper offered a novel idea for the multifunctionalities of epoxy resin, and also provided some experimental data support for revealing the correlation between surface properties of nano-fillers, microstructure of composite dielectric and macroscopic properties.