Good Dispersion Research Articles

Green Synthesis of CQDs via the Trunks of Bauhinia purpurea as Fluorescence Probes for Rapid and Accurate Detection of Quinoline Yellow.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were greenly synthesized via a single-step hydrothermal method, using the trunks of Bauhinia purpurea as the carbon source. They exhibited good dispersibility, water solubility, high sensitivity, and great stability with a spherical form and a particle size of 2.68 ± 0.32 nm. By utilizing the inner filter effect and dynamic quenching effect, the fluorescence quenching of CQDs can be induced to detect quinoline yellow. Detailed experimental results showed that the change rate of fluorescence intensity of CQDshadagood linearrelationshipwith varying concentrations of quinoline yellow (2-128 µmol/L). It can be clearly observed that the fluorescence quenching occurred within 1 min, its correlation coefficient (R2) is 0.9912, and the detection limit (DL) is 1.7884 μmol/L, substantially lower than the maximum concentration stipulated by the national standard of 209.5 µmol/L. Furthermore, quinoline yellow had been successfully detected in real beverage samples using CQDs, with the recovery rates of 90.6%-110.4% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 6.3% and it also showed great anti-interference and selectivity. These findings indicate that the detected quinoline yellow of CQDs possess substantial promise for a wide range of applications within the detected artificial food colors field.

Synthesis and Characterization of Palladium/Silver Modified Reduced Graphene Oxide–Nanocomposite Platform for Electrochemical Sensors

AbstractMetal nanoparticles incorporated into carbon nanostructures have tremendous applications in the field of nanosensors and other technologies. Herein, a nanohybrid of reduced graphene oxide modified with silver and/or palladium nanoparticles (Ag/Pd/rGO) was prepared by impregnation of Pd and Ag into the rGO platform and deposited on a glass carbon electrode. Palladium and silver nanoparticles improve the stability and durability of the sensor platform by preventing the agglomeration of graphene oxide sheets and providing chemical stability against environmental factors. This ensures long‐term reliability and repeatability of the sensor performance. The morphologies and microstructures of the as‐prepared nanohybrid were characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, UV–visible and infrared spectroscopy. The average crystallite size of PdAgNPs was found to be between 12 and 15 nm and demonstrated good dispersion across reduced graphene oxide sheets with high‐loading capacities. Thorough investigation of the electrochemical properties of the nanomaterial surfaces through cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments, revealed distinct redox peaks for Ag+/Ag0 and Pd2+/Pd0 processes and demonstrated the excellent electrochemical properties of the prepared nanocomposites. The rGO‐PdAgNPs‐GCE had a diffusion coefficient value of 1.14×10−14 cm2 s−1 which is acceptable for electrochemical sensors as it is indicative of a fast response time and enhanced sensitivity to changes in gas concentration. The results obtained through thorough characterizations contributes to the novelty of the research by offering a deeper understanding of the material properties and the potential of the nanohybrid material for a broad application scope.

Stability, Thermophysical, Optical and Photothermal Properties of ZnO Nanofluids with Added Anionic/Cationic Mixed Surfactants

Abstract Metal oxide nanofluid is a new type of heat transfer medium with good thermal performance, which can be used to improve the heat collection and photothermal conversion performance of the collector. The development of new nanofluids with excellent stability, thermophysical and photothermal properties is very important for solar thermal utilization. In this paper, the ZnO nanofluids with SDS/CTAB mixed surfactants were prepared by two-step method. Their stability, thermophysical, optical and photothermal properties were studied based on experimental data. Then, the optimum concentration and preparation conditions of the proposed ZnO nanofluid adding SDS/CTAB with good photothermal performance were obtained. The results showed that the ZnO nanofluid adding SDS/CTAB mixed surfactants has good dispersion stability and thermal physical properties with thermal conductivity up to 0.772 W/(m·K). Moreover, it has the lowest transmittance of 0.10% and the highest extinction coefficient of 7.25 cm-1. Moreover, the addition of SDS/CTAB mixed surfactants makes ZnO nanofluids show better photothermal conversion efficiency, up to 87%. Therefore, ZnO nanofluids with SDS/CTAB added have great potential as working fluids for DASC.

The enhanced tribological performance of fabric‐reinforced resin composites by biomimetic surface modification of fillers

The poor dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and weak interfacial adhesion of fabric and resin matrix seriously affect the tribological performance of fabric‐reinforcement resin composites. Tannic acid (TA), a plant‐derived compound, which is similar to mussel‐inspired polydopamine, can adhere to various substrates under a weak basic buffer solution. Therefore, in this work, TA‐modified MWCNTs were incorporated into TA functionalized fabric composite to improve the tribological performance of the fabric composite. The results indicate that the MWCNTs and fabric were successfully modified with TA. The wear tests revealed that the TA‐MWCNTs reinforcement TA‐fabric resin composites exhibited the best tribological performance, in which the friction coefficient and volume wear rate decreased by 16.9% and 40%, respectively, compared with pristine fabric composite. The favorable interfacial bonding between fabric and resin is beneficial to the friction force transfer to the load‐bearing fabric, decreasing the stress focus and thus reducing the damage to composite materials. Meanwhile, the good dispersion of MWCNTs contributes to the excellent lubrication performance. This simple and eco‐friendly method of treating fillers with TA provides a new approach to achieve high‐performance tribological materials.

Improving fire safety of thermoplastic poly(ether ester) elastomer by black phosphorus nanosheets and aluminum diethylphosphinate system

AbstractThermoplastic poly(ether ester) elastomer (TPEE) is a highly flammable material with severe melt‐dropping, which greatly limits its range of applications. Here, black phosphorus nanosheets (BPs) and aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP) were used to improve the fire safety of TPEE for the first time. Results demonstrated that ADP/BPs as a synergistic combination exhibits good dispersity and excellent flame retardancy, also has minimal negative effects on the mechanical performances of the TPEE composites. By comparing TPEE/ADP‐22 and TPEE/ADP‐10/BPs‐4, the introduction of BPs significantly reduced the addition of ADP while keeping the material at the higher vertical burning grade, ~54.5% reduction in ADP usage. Compared with neat TPEE, TPEE/ADP‐10/BPs‐4 fulfilled V‐0 level, avoided dripping, and the limiting oxygen index value increased to 34.0%. Moreover, TPEE/ADP‐10/BPs‐4 performed the best in cone calorimetry test, both the peak heat release rate and total heat release reduced the largest, by 44.2% and 25.3%, respectively. The detailed studies of the flame‐retardant mechanism found that ADP/BPs showed the fire‐retardant impact of the condensed phase and gaseous phase. This work expands BPs in the flame‐retardant application and could facilitate to prepare the anti‐dripping flame‐resistant TPEE.Highlights BPs as an efficient flame retardant were added into TPEE for the first time. ADP/BPs as a synergistic combination has an excellent fire‐retardant effect. The introduction of BPs significantly reduced the addition of ADP. TPEE/ADP‐10/BPs‐4 showed the highest FPI and the lowest FGI. ADP/BPs has lowest negative effects on the mechanical performances of matrix.

Palladium/coconut husk biochar composite material as an effective electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction

This study utilised coconut husk biochar as an alternative sustainable carbon support for Pd-based electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction in basic medium. Coconut husk biochar (BC) was prepared via slow pyrolysis at 800 °C for 1 h at a ramp rate of 5 °C min−1. The Pd/BC catalyst was prepared via borohydride-facilitated reduction of palladium chloride solution. TEM analysis revealed good dispersion of the Pd nanoparticles on the biochar support with particle size ranging from 1.9 to 3.4 nm. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements of Pd/BC in 1.0 M ethanol in 0.1 M KOH gave an on-set potential of −0.615 V (versus Ag/AgCl) with a forward peak current density of 23.87 mA cm−2, which is slightly higher than the commercial Pd/C catalyst. The Pd/BC also has a higher electrochemical stability and durability than the commercial Pd/C catalyst based on chronoamperometry studies (i.e., 44.43% versus 39.64% current retention). The synthesised coconut husk biochar–supported Pd catalyst exhibited promising results for ethanol oxidation reaction for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell application.

Hypoxia-Responsive Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework-Mediated Protein Delivery for Cancer Therapy.

The efficient delivery of therapeutic proteins to tumor sites is a promising cancer treatment modality. Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) have been successfully used for the protective encapsulation of proteins; however, easy precipitation and lack of controlled release of existing HOFs limit their further application for protein delivery in vivo. In this study, a hypoxia-responsive HOF, self-assembled from azobenzenedicarboxylate/polyethylene glycol-conjugated azobenzenedicarboxylate and tetrakis(4-amidiniumphenyl)methane through charge-assisted hydrogen-bonding, is developed for systemic protein delivery to tumor cells. The newly generated HOF platform efficiently encapsulates representative cytochrome C, demonstrating good dispersibility under physiological conditions. Moreover, it can respond to overexpressed reductases in the cytoplasm under hypoxic conditions, inducing fast intracellular protein release to exert therapeutic effects. The strategy presented herein can be applied to other therapeutic proteins and can be expanded to encompass more intrinsic tumor microenvironment stimuli. This offers a novel avenue for utilizing HOFs in protein-based cancer therapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

How tolerances, competition and dispersal shape benthic invertebrate colonisation in restored urban streams

Biotic communities often respond poorly to river restoration activities and the drivers of community recovery after restoration are not fully understood. According to the Asymmetric Response Concept (ARC), dispersal capacity, species tolerances to stressors, and biotic interactions are three key drivers influencing community recovery of restored streams. However, the ARC remains to be tested. Here we used a dataset on benthic invertebrate communities of eleven restored stream sections in a former open sewer system that were sampled yearly over a period of eleven years. We applied four indices that reflect tolerance against chloride and organic pollution, the community's dispersal capacity and strength of competition to the benthic invertebrate taxa lists of each year and site. Subsequently, we used generalised linear mixed models to analyse the change of these indices over time since restoration. Dispersal capacity was high directly after restoration but continuously decreased over time. The initial communities thus consisted of good dispersers and were later joined by more slowly dispersing taxa. The tolerance to organic pollution also decreased over time, reflecting continuous improvement of water quality and an associated increase of sensitive species. On the contrary, chloride tolerances did not change, which could indicate a stable chloride level throughout the sampling period. Lastly, competition within the communities, reflected by interspecific trait niche overlap, increased with time since restoration. We show that recovery follows a specific pattern that is comparable between sites. Benthic communities change from tolerant, fast dispersing generalists to more sensitive, slowly dispersing specialists exposed to stronger competition. Our results lay support to the ARC (increasing role of competition, decreasing role of dispersal) but also underline that certain tolerances may still shape communities a decade after restoration. Disentangling the drivers of macroinvertebrate colonisation can help managers to better understand recovery trajectories and to define more realistic restoration targets.

Advancements in the synthesis of carbon dots and their application in biomedicine

As a sort of fluorescent carbon nanomaterial with a particle size of less than 10 nm, carbon dots (CDs) have their own merits of good dispersibility in water, stable optical properties, strong chemical inertness, stable optical properties, and good biosecurity. These excellent peculiarities facilitated them like sensing, imaging, medicine, catalysis, and optoelectronics, making them a new star in the field of nanotechnology. In particular, the development of CDs in the fields of chemical probes, imaging, cancer therapy, antibacterial and drug delivery has become a hot topic in current research. Although the biomedical applications in CDs have been demonstrated in many research articles, a systematic summary of their role in biomedical applications is scarce. In this review, we introduced the basic information of CDs in detail, including synthesis approaches of CDs as well as their favorable properties including photoluminescence and low cytotoxicity. Subsequently, the application of CDs in the field of biomedicine was emphasized. Finally, the main challenges and research prospects of CDs in this field were proposed, which might provide some detailed information in designing new CDs in this promising biomedical field.

Effect of reduced graphene oxide on thermal property of recycled textile polyamide

This study explored the impact of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) addition on the thermal properties of recycled polyamide (PARec) obtained from repurposed textile industry microfibers initially earmarked for landfill disposal. Characterization of PARec involved techniques like differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RGO was characterized through Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mixtures with varying rGO concentrations, such as PARec-1 (0.1% rGO), PARec-5 (0.5% rGO), and PARec-10 (1% rGO), were prepared and processed in a twin-screw extruder. SEM images at PARec show good dispersion of rGO in the polymer matrix. Thermal properties were determined via DSC and TG, revealing the presence of polyamide 6 in PARec-0 and indicating rGO's quality. Notably, PARec-10 exhibited a slight 3.8% increase in melting temperature and a 7.5% rise in crystallization temperature. These results suggest the potential for improved thermal properties with rGO incorporation. The study contributes to understanding polymer blend thermal properties and introduces an innovative, efficient polymer waste recycling method aligned with sustainability principles.

A novel P/Fe/Si-doped porphyrin with excellent flame retardancy and ultrastrong toughening effect on epoxy resin

Epoxy resin (EP) is one of the most versatile polymers. Nonetheless, its inherent flammability and brittleness severely limit its broad development. Moreover, existing additives make it difficult to meet the dual requirements of flame retardancy and toughening. Herein, a novel P/Fe/Si-doped porphyrin derivative (MTPD-Fe@SiO2) with nano-cauliflower structure was synthesized to develop advanced EP composites. MTPD-Fe@SiO2 exhibited good dispersion in EP matrix, which is attributed to the π-π interactions between the porphyrin and EP chains, as well as the mechanical interlocking of nano-cauliflower rough structure. Moreover, when 5 % of MTPD-Fe@SiO2 was incorporated, the tensile and flexural strengths of EP composites were increased by 48.1 % and 63.5 %, respectively, showing excellent toughening properties. Additionally, the maximum thermal degradation rate of EP/5 % MTPD-Fe@SiO2 was significantly reduced, indicating its superior thermal stability. Notably, compared with pure EP, the peak heat release rate and the peak smoke production rate of EP/5 % MTPD-Fe@SiO2 were decreased by 36.4 % and 43.6 %, while the residual char and limiting oxygen index increased to 30.9 % and 32.1 %, respectively. This was ascribed to the catalytic charring of transition metals and phosphates, the barrier effect of the solid carbon layer (Fe4(PO4)2O, SiO2), the trapping effect of phosphorus radicals and the dilution effect of incombustibles. This work provides a viable approach to solving the trade-off between refractoriness and mechanical performance.

Emulsion stability enhancement against storage and environment stresses using complex plant protein and betanin

Complex plant protein has been proved to be a novel protein with high solubility and comprehensive amino acids. The ability to form and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions of rice protein-pea protein and rice protein-soy protein isolate (RP-PP and RP-SPI) prepared through pH-driven method was investigated. Complex plant protein emulsions, especially RP-SPI emulsion, showed better performance on storage stability and environment stress stability than the single plant protein emulsion. According to laser confocal microscopy and particle size analysis, single protein emulsions aggregated rapidly in a short time, and the particle size increased significantly, while the complex plant protein emulsion maintained good dispersibility within 42 days, and the particle size remained around 570 nm. Furthermore, the bioactive natural pigment betanin was added to explore its effect on the stability of the RP-SPI emulsion. The addition of betanin caused a significant reduction in the surface hydrophobicity of RP-SPI and a promotion in the adsorption of protein on the oil-water interface. Betanin have a tendency to enhance the stability of the emulsion with pleasant red color. This study may provide a promising way to develop functional plant-based food emulsion.

Tribological performances of MoS2/C60 nanocomposite as lubricating additive in dioctyl sebacate

Purpose This paper aims to solve the problems molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets suffer from inadequate dispersion stability and form a weak lubricating film on the friction surface, which severely limits their application as lubricant additives. Design/methodology/approach MoS2/C60 nanocomposites were prepared by synthesizing molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets on the surface of hydrochloric acid-activated fullerenes (C60) by in situ hydrothermal method. The composition, structure and morphology of MoS2/C60 nanocomposites were characterized. Through the high-frequency reciprocating tribology test, its potential as a lubricant additive was evaluated. Findings MoS2/C60 nanocomposites that were prepared showed good dispersion in dioctyl sebacate (DOS). When 0.5 Wt.% MoS2/C60 was added, the friction reduction performance and wear resistance improved by 54.5% and 62.7%, respectively. Originality/value MoS2/C60 composite nanoparticles were prepared by in-situ formation of MoS2 nanosheets on the surface of C60 activated by HCl through hydrothermal method and were used as potential lubricating oil additives. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-10-2023-0321/

Tuning Surface, Phase, and Magnetization of Superparamagnetic Magnetite by Ionic Liquids: Single-Step Microwave-Assisted Synthesis.

Achieving colloidal and chemical stability in ferrofluids by surface modification requires multiple steps, including purification, ex situ modification steps, and operation at high temperatures. In this study, a single-step microwave-assisted methodology is developed for iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) synthesis utilizing a series of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with chloride, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and pyrrolide anions as the reaction media, thus eliminating the use of volatile organics while enabling rapid synthesis at 80 °C as well as in situ surface functionalization. The characterized surface functionality, hydrodynamic particle size, magnetization, and colloidal stability of the IONPs demonstrate a strong dependence on the IL structure, ion coordination strength, reactivity, and hydrophilicity. The IONPs present primarily a magnetite (Fe3O4) phase with superparamagnetism with the highest saturation magnetization at 81 and 73 emu/g at 10 and 300 K, respectively. Depending on the IL coating, magnetization and exchange anisotropy decrease by 20 and 2-3 emu/g (at 35 wt % IL), respectively, but still represent the highest magnetization achieved for coated IONPs by a coprecipitation method. Further, the surface-functionalized superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles show good dispersibility and colloidal stability in water and dimethyl sulfoxide at 0.1 mg/mL concentration over the examined 3 month period. This study reports on the intermolecular and chemical interactions between the particle surface and the ILs under synthetic conditions as they relate to the magnetic and thermal properties of the resulting IONPs that are well suited for a variety of applications, including separation and catalysis.

A Green Synthesis of Au-Ag Alloy Nanoparticles using Polydopamine Chemistry: Evaluation of their Anticancer Potency Towards Both MCF-7 Cells and their Cancer Stem Cells Subgroup.

Limited chemotherapy efficacy and cancer stem cells (CSCs)-induced therapeutic resistance are major difficulties for tumour treatment. Adopting more efficient therapies to eliminate bulk-sensitive cancer cells and resistant CSCs is urgently needed. Based on the potential and functional complementarity of gold and silver nanoparticles (AuNPs or AgNPs) on tumour treatment, bimetallic NPs (alloy) have been synthesized to obtain improved or even newly emerging bioactivity from a combination effect. This study reported a facile, green and economical preparation of Au-Ag alloy NPs using biocompatible polydopamine (PDA) as a reductant, capping, stabilizing and hydrophilic agent. These alloy NPs were quasi-spherical with rough surfaces and recorded in diameters of 80 nm. In addition, these alloy NPs showed good water dispersity, stability and photothermal effect. Compared with monometallic counterparts, these alloy NPs demonstrated a dramatically enhanced cytotoxic/pro-apoptotic/necrotic effect towards bulk-sensitive MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The underlying mechanism regarding the apoptotic action was associated with a mitochondria-mediated pathway, as evidenced by Au3+/Ag+ mediated Mitochondria damage, ROS generation, DNA fragmentation and upregulation of certain apoptotic-related genes (Bax, P53 and Caspase 3). Attractively, these Au-Ag alloy NPs showed a remarkably improved inhibitory effect on the mammosphere formation capacity of MCF-7 CSCs. All the positive results were attributed to incorporated properties from Au, Ag and PDA, the combination effect of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy and the nano-scaled structure of Au-Ag alloy NPs. In addition, the high biocompatibility of Au-Ag alloy NPs supported them as a good candidate in cancer therapy.

A novel ternary magnetic nanobiocomposite based on tragacanth-silk fibroin hydrogel for hyperthermia and biological properties.

This study involves the development of a new nanocomposite material for use in biological applications. The nanocomposite was based on tragacanth hydrogel (TG), which was formed through cross-linking of Ca2+ ions with TG polymer chains. The utilization of TG hydrogel and silk fibroin as natural compounds has enhanced the biocompatibility, biodegradability, adhesion, and cell growth properties of the nanobiocomposite. This advancement makes the nanobiocomposite suitable for various biological applications, including drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Additionally, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized in situ within the nanocomposite to enhance its hyperthermia efficiency. The presence of hydrophilic groups in all components of the nanobiocomposite allowed for good dispersion in water, which is an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of hyperthermia cancer therapy. Hemolysis and 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the nanobiocomposite for in-vivo applications. Results showed that even at high concentrations, the nanobiocomposite had minimal hemolytic effects. Finally, the hyperthermia application of the hybrid scaffold was evaluated, with a maximum SAR value of 41.2W/g measured in the first interval.

Preparation of MoO3 powder by hydrothermal method

Abstract Based on the raw material of ammonium tetramolybdate in the experiment, molybdenum trioxide was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, and the effects of different pH, hydrothermal reaction time, filling degree, and calcination temperature on molybdenum trioxide powder were studied. Meanwhile, the molybdenum trioxide powder was characterized through scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis differential scanning calorimetry analysis so as to study the morphology and phase changes during the experiment. As is evident from the research findings, MoO3 powders with uniform and suitable size, smooth and clear surface, good dispersibility, and no adhesion can be obtained at the conditions of pH = 1, 16 h hydrothermal reaction, 90% of filling degree, and 550°C of calcination temperature. In the calcination process, MoO3 crystal undergone crystal transformation and was completely transformed from h-MoO3 to α-MoO3 at the calcination temperature of 350°C.

Unique production strategy of Pt/C electrocatalysts via pulsed laser for hydrogen generation: Insights screening by DFT calculations

Design and optimizing the components and structure of highly-active electrocatalysts is a prevalent approach for reducing the input electrical energy consumption and concurrently H2 fuel production. An efficient and sustainable method is a water-electrolyzer for H2 generation, but still restricted by the stable electrode materials. In this study, a green chemistry approach for one-pot production of Pt/C nanospherical with controllable ratios of Pt and C was demonstrated using simple pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) process, during which Pt target ablation in diverse solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, and 1-propanol) without external carbon source and reducing/capping agents. The carbon-rich solvents are acted as both C-source and solvent, which are decomposed during the PLAL process, producing C, H, and OH ions inside the cavitation bubble which condenses as C-shells on the Pt surface. The optimal Pt/C proportions have the highest electrochemical H2-evolution in acidic media with an overpotential of 59 mV at 10 mA/cm2, Tafel slope of 41 mV/dec, and j0 of 0.686 mA/cm2. The exceptional electrocatalytic concert of optimal Pt/C was further supported by the density functional theory. Optimized C-content in Pt/C reveals good dispersion and strong interaction of C with Pt can make efficient electron transfer, structural stability, and electrochemical durability, resulting in superior electrocatalytic performance in electrolyzer devices.

Enhancing flame retardancy, anti‐impact, and corrosive resistance of TPU nanocomposites using surface decoration of α‐ZrP

AbstractThe development of polyurethane composites with significant flame retardancy and corrosion resistance for widening its practical application is a great importance. In this study, supramolecular wrapped α‐ZrP (MCP@ZrP) was prepared via self‐assembly of melamine, cobalt ions (Co2+) and phytic acid (PA) on the surfaces of α‐zirconium phosphate (α‐ZrP). It was found that both compatibility and dispersion of α‐ZrP sheets in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrices were improved with the incorporation of organic supramolecular components in TPU/MCP@ZrP nanocomposites. Moreover, their fire‐retardant characteristic was significantly enhanced, along with effective suppression of smoke and toxic gas emission. By adding 5 wt% MCP@ZrP, peak heat release rate, total heat release, total smoke production, and total CO production of such nanocomposites were reduced by 35.66%, 18.01%, 15.52%, and 41.42%, respectively. The generation of a continuous and dense char layer benefited from well‐dispersed MCP@ZrP nanohybrids, which resulted in tortuous effect to impede heat diffusion and prevent the evaporation of volatile gasses. By means of the barrier effect of ZrP, TPU/MCP@ZrP composite films also showed improved anticorrosion performance. Effective interfacial adhesion, achieved by combining MCP supermolecules and α‐ZrP sheets, offers a viable approach to improve protective properties of TPU nanocomposites.Highlights Supramolecular‐wrapped α‐ZrP was prepared via self‐assembly strategy. MCP@ZrP showed good dispersion and interface adhesion within TPU matrices. MCP@ZrP enhanced the flame retardancy and mechanical performance of TPU. MCP@ZrP preventing smoke and toxic gas evaporation.

Preparation and antibacterial mechanism of copper-based silica nanocomposite materials

In this study, copper-based silica nanocomposite with antibacterial properties is prepared by the impregnation adsorption method, employing nano-silica microspheres as carriers. The as-synthesized material has good dispersion and uniform particle size. Copper is loaded on the carrier surface in the form of CuO and Cu(OH)2.and the loading can reach up to 7 %. When the material dosage is 0.001 g·mL-1, the antibacterial rate against E. coli can reach 99 %. Adding rare earth elements improves the materials' physical, chemical, and antibacterial properties. Adding rare trace earth reduces the agglomeration, enhances the specific surface area, affects the existing form of copper, increases the crystallinity, and thus improves the antibacterial activity. The antibacterial properties are improved when the dysprosium concentration is 1 × 10-5 mol·L-1. Copper-based antibacterial nanomaterials mainly destroy the cell membrane and affect the normal function of bacterial proteins via contact antibacterial and antibacterial dissolution routes, hindering their reproduction and killing them. The material exhibits a good application prospect in antibacterial silicone rubber production.·