Modification Of Surface Structure Research Articles

Surface Structure Modification in Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Multi-Material Printing for Medical Applications: Printing of a Hand Prosthesis

Surface Structure Modification in Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Multi-Material Printing for Medical Applications: Printing of a Hand Prosthesis

Surface Nanostructures Enhanced Biocompatibility and Osteoinductivity of Laser-Additively Manufactured CoCrMo Alloys.

Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys are widely used in orthopedic implants due to their excellent corrosion and wear resistance and superior mechanical properties. However, their limited capability to promote cell adhesion and new bone tissue formation, poor blood compatibility, and risk of microbial infection can lead to implant failure or reduced implant lifespan. Surface structure modification has been used to improve the cytocompatibility and blood compatibility of implant materials and reduce the risk of infection. In this study, we prepared CoCrMo alloys with surface nanostructures of various aspect ratios (AR) using laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED) and biocorrosion. Our results showed that medium and high AR nanostructures reduced platelet adhesion, while all of the alloys demonstrated good blood compatibility and antibacterial properties. Moreover, the medium and high AR nanostructures promoted cell adhesion and spreading of both preosteoblast MC3T3 cells and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Furthermore, the nanostructure promoted the osteogenic differentiation of both cell types compared with the flat control surface, with a substantial enhancing effect for the medium and high ARs. Our study proposes a promising approach for developing implant materials with improved clinical outcomes.

Abstract A073: Cultural adaptation of an evidence-based intervention: The Conexiones program for Latina mothers with cancer

Abstract BACKGROUND. Nationwide Hispanic women <50 years show rising cancer incidence rates for all sites. Disparities in incidence for certain cancers among Hispanic women <50 worsen as the focus changes from a national level to the U.S.-Mexico border region. The medically underserved border region lacks psychosocial resources to improve cancer survivorship among Latinas and their families. Culturally relevant interventions are essential to addressing cancer disparities in young Latinas. PURPOSE. To describe the conceptual framework and steps used to culturally adapt the Enhancing Connections program, an evidence-based cancer-parenting intervention (EBI) designed to support mothers and their children in coping with maternal cancer. METHODS. Validated with predominately White, middle-class mothers diagnosed with breast cancer, Enhancing Connections was culturally adapted to create the Conexiones program for Latina mothers living with any cancer type on the border. This process expanded on cultural adaptation frameworks for Hispanics. RESULTS. The EBI developers and cultural adaptation team (i.e., Latina researchers) cultivated a trusting collaboration to safeguard fidelity to the EBI during the multi-phase adaptation process. Given limited research on young parenting Latina cancer survivors, the researchers conducted an in-depth assessment of the new consumer group, relevant stakeholders, and the border environment. The assessment informed a rigorous preliminary adaptation of the EBI which included surface and deep structure modifications to make the program culturally relevant and engaging for the new consumer group. Program materials were then translated to Spanish and shared with the Latina border community to identify and correct remaining areas of cultural mismatch between the new consumer group and the EBI’s validation group (i.e., NHW women). This community evaluation of the program also helped uncover and correct cultural mismatches between the new consumer group and the adaptation team (i.e., Latina academic researchers). The cultural adaptation also included modifying research methods to fit the new consumer group (e.g., study eligibility, recruitment efforts, and study measures). A pilot study confirmed feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of Conexiones and informed further program refinement. The pilot study also provided preliminary evidence of Conexiones’ efficacy establishing the pathway for a randomized control trial with young, diagnosed Latina mothers in the border region. CONCLUSION. Adapting an EBI to new consumers is a complex process that involves much more than simply translating the program materials into a new language. Rather, Enhancing Connections was systematically adapted using a multi-component framework and significant community engagement to create Conexiones. As few EBIs are tested with high risk, vulnerable populations and virtually none with Hispanic mothers living with cancer in the border community, this adaptation can serve to inform other researchers working with underserved populations. Citation Format: Rebecca Palacios, Clara Reyes, Isela Garcia, Frances Lewis. Cultural adaptation of an evidence-based intervention: The Conexiones program for Latina mothers with cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A073.

Fluorine-induced reversible cation/anion redox reactions to enhance stability in Li-rich layered oxides

Low-cost Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) cathode materials offer excellent initial energy density due to the contribution of cation/anion redox chemistry. However, irreversible redox reactions and phase transitions lead to low initial Coulomb efficiency (ICE) and mediocre cycling stability, which hinders their practical applications. Herein, surface depth fluorine (F)-induced achieved phase transform of Li2MnO3 structure in Li1.2Mn0.64Ni0.16O2 cathodes for the first time, generating a large number of phase-like interfaces and ultrathin interfacial integrated layers, which excite the anion/cation activity and accelerate the redox kinetics. The modified material can inhibit defect generation, increase the Li+ diffusion rate, activate reversible Mn3+/Mn4+ redox reactions, enhance oxygen redox (O2−/On−) activity, and suppress adverse phase transitions. The results show that the ICE of modified electrode is improved to 88.2%, and that the capacity retention is as high as 93.1% and 100% for 200 cycles at 1 C and 2 C. Furthermore, the improved electrochemical performance is also attributed to the formation of strong transition metal-fluorine (TM-F) bonds, which inhibit the TM migration that maintains the intact layered structure during cycling. This strategy provides a new path for efficient surface structure modification of high-energy–density LLOs cathodes.

Facet-Dependent Passivation for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells.

Understanding the interplay between the surface structure and the passivation materials and their effects associated with surface structure modification is of fundamental importance; however, it remains an unsolved problem in the perovskite passivation field. Here, we report a surface passivation principle for efficient perovskite solar cells via a facet-dependent passivation phenomenon. The passivation process selectively occurs on facets, which is observed with various post-treatment materials with different functionality, and the atomic arrangements of the facets determine the alignments of the passivation layers. The profound understanding of facet-dependent passivation leads to the finding of 2-amidinopyridine hydroiodide as the material for a uniform and effective passivation on both (100) and (111) facets. Consequently, we achieved perovskite solar cells with an efficiency of 25.10% and enhanced stability. The concept of facet-dependent passivation can provide an important clue on unidentified passivation principles for perovskite materials and a novel means to enhance the performance and stability of perovskite-based devices.

Investigation of surface structural modifications caused by the influence of the ablative layer in Inconel718 Ni-base superalloy through laser shock peening

The use of a protective sacrificial layer adds to the overall processing cost of laser shock peening, which is an effective surface modification technique for Ni-superalloys. This study investigates the effect of this layer on the nature of residual stress, subsurface stressed depth, and microstructural differences such as grain boundary fractions and defect densities. Without the ablative layer, the subsurface exhibits predominantly compressive stress, except for the formation of a thin surface layer with tensile residual stress coupled with large textured grains.

Sputtering and structural modifications induced in silicon dioxide (SiO2) thin films under (10–40 MeV) Auq+heavy ion irradiation

Surface sputtering and structural modifications induced in silicon dioxide thin films (SiO2/Si) deposited on silicon substrates and irradiated by swift (10–40 MeV) heavy Auq+(q = +4, +6, +7, and +9) ions were investigated by grazing‐incidence X‐ray diffraction (GIXRD) spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering (RBS) spectrometry and time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection (ToF‐ERDA) technique. The GIXRD analysis of the as‐deposited and irradiated samples revealed increasing structural modifications of the SiO2thin films under Auq+ion impacts with increasing ion‐beam energy. The changes consisted of decreased grain sizes with increased strain accompanied by a phase transformation from crystalline to amorphous films. RBS analysis showed a decrease in the mean stoichiometric (O/Si) ratio from (2.2 ± 0.1) to (1.7 ± 0.1), due to preferential sputtering of oxygen, as the incident ion energy increased. The obtained RBS‐results were then completed by those of ToF‐ERDA analysis technique using a 40 MeV Au9+heavy ion beam. The preferential sputtering yield ratios (YSi/YO) were determined experimentally both versus electronic stopping power and ion fluence. The obtained results were then compared to numerical values derived from the inelastic thermal spike (i‐TS) model, Sigmund's analytical formula and SRIM simulation code. A good agreement was observed between the measured preferential sputtering data and the i‐TS calculated values, when considering both nuclear elastic and electronic inelastic collision mechanisms. Besides, a close correlation is observed between the electronic stopping power dependent measured sputtering yields and the XRD peak intensity degradation per unit fluence. These observations suggest that the same mechanism of MeV heavy ion‐irradiation induced extended atomic disordering, occurs both in the case of structural modifications and surface sputtering. Finally, the obtained experimental results are discussed on the basis of the i‐TS model.

Electrochemical Study of Zinc Adsorption on Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia-Water Interfaces

Research has shown that zinc ions can mitigate the corrosion of the alloy materials in nuclear power plants in addition to reducing radiation contaminations. Understanding how zinc ions alter the interfacial structure of the alloy surface is therefore important in improving the life cycle of the materials and achieving higher burnups of the nuclear fuels. While the corrosion mitigation of zinc on nickel and stainless-steel alloys has been widely studied and reported, its effect on zirconium oxide surfaces, i.e. the oxide layer of zirconium alloys exposed to the aqueous solution, has rarely been reported. Meanwhile, zirconium oxide also serves as the solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte in energy storage. The study of the corrosion mitigation mechanism on zirconia could also contribute to the successful commercialization of SOFC technologies as cleaner and more efficient energy conversion electrochemical systems. In this work, we utilize the electrochemical techniques to study the interfacial structure changes under the influence of zinc ions on the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) surfaces on the (100), (110), and (111) orientations in contact with aqueous solution with and without externally applied electric potentials. The experimental measurements indicated the modification of the interfacial structures by zinc on (100) and (111) surfaces is strongly influenced by the applied external electric fields, while the modification of surface structure by zinc ions is not as evident on the (110) surface. Our study also showed that the Zn2+ adsorption layers on the oxide surfaces could be better preserved by tuning the electric potential on the oxide substrates towards the negative potentials.

Synthesis and characterization of the porous activated carbon from end-of-life tire pyrolysis for CO2 sequestration

This research aims to synthesize and characterize the CO2 adsor+bent from waste tire (WT) as a precursor to produce porous carbon adsorbent material using a combination of thermal (pyrolysis, 600–700 °C) and chemical (H3PO4 and KOH) methods. The derived fine black powder was impregnated by 10–50 wt% polyethyleneimine (PEI) to produce porous carbon material (PEI-PCM) for evaluation of the performance of CO2 adsorption under TGA (micro-scale system). To observe the PEI loading and relevant CO2 capture selectivity characteristics, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) were carried out. The XRD pattern showed the main phase of amorphous carbon, graphite, and some impurities (ZnS). Type II adsorption isotherm is related with reducing of the specific surface area and pore volume from 78 m2·g−1 to 25.26 m2·g−1, 0.45 cm3·g−1 to 0.23 cm3·g−1, respectively. The FT-IR spectra indicated the bending of primary and secondary amine which belonged to PEI molecule. It can be concluded that PEI-PCM properties such as, pore-size distribution, pore volume and surface functional groups supported CO2 adsorption capability following surface structure modification. The 50 wt% PEI-PCM-P showed good adsorption capacity of 53.81 mg·g−1 at temperatures of 75 °C. As a result, the PEI-PCM was successfully developed for CO2 absorption application. This work can help mitigating the challenge of disposal of WT and realization of the bio-circular-green economy (BCG model).

Impact of exposing lithium metal to monocrystalline vertical silicon nanowires for lithium-ion microbatteries

Silicon has attracted considerable attention for use as high-capacity anodes of lithium-ion microbatteries. However, its extreme volume change upon (de-)lithiation still poses a challenge for adoption as it leads to severe active lithium loss that shortens the cycle life. Here, we fabricate three-dimensional monocrystalline vertical silicon nanowires on a silicon wafer using low-cost metal-assisted chemical etching, then cover them with lithium using thermal evaporation prior to the battery operation as the pre-lithiation step, to investigate its impact on electrochemical performance. To reveal the underlying physical and electrochemical mechanisms, we also process a comparative planar monocrystalline silicon. We find that pre-lithiation results in improved (de-)lithiation behavior, especially in planar silicon-based cells, while silicon nanowire-based cells exhibit low capacity in early cycles. This study sheds light on the surface design and structural modification of monocrystalline silicon nanowires with respect to pre-lithiation by lithium thermal evaporation.

Enhancement in pool boiling performance of GNP/Cu-Al2O3 nano-composite coated copper microporous surface

An experimental analysis of pool boiling is conducted on the GNP/Cu-Al2O3 (GNP-graphene nano particle) nanocomposite coated copper surfaces at atmospheric pressure using DI (distilled water) as boiling fluid. A two-step electro-deposition technique is used for fabrication of these micro/nano porous coated surfaces. A modified surface structure is formed due to this deposition and various surface morphology parameters such as surface structure, roughness, wettability are analysed. Results show the enhancement in BHTC (boiling heat transfer coefficient) and CHF (Critical heat flux) in nano composite coated surfaces compare to the bare copper surface. The maximum CHF of 2415 (kW/m2) and BHTC of 171.28 (kW/m2K) is found in the NCCS (nano-composite coated superhydrophilic) surfaces which are 122% and 239% more than the bare copper surfaces. The boiling performance is augmented mainly because of the improvement in roughness, wettability and also for the high thermal conductivity of the GNP/Cu- Al2O3 nano coating. Quantitative study of the bubble dynamics like active nucleation site density, bubble emission frequency, departure diameter of bubbleand their impact on heat transfer performance in the case of NCCS surfaces is performed with high-speed visualization.

Fluoride Removal from Aqueous Medium Using Biochar Produced from Coffee Ground

Low concentrations of fluoride (F−) in drinking water are beneficial for oral health, but the natural occurrence of high F− content has been reported in various groundwater sources, posing a continuous ingestion threat to humans. The utilization of biochar (BC) produced from residual biomass has emerged as a technically, economically, and environmentally sustainable alternative for fluoride removal through adsorption. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of BC derived from coffee grounds and the influence of various factors on the adsorption process of F− in aqueous media, including pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, temperature, and initial F− concentration. The BC exhibited a surface area of 12.94 m2·g−1 and a pore volume of 0.0349 cm3·g−1. The adsorption process was strongly pH dependent, demonstrating a significant decline in performance as pH increased from 2.0 onwards. The majority of F− removal occurred within the first 5 min, reaching adsorption equilibrium after 1 h of testing, regardless of the initial F− concentration employed. The data fitting to the Webber–Morris model indicated a two-step adsorption process on BC, with the first step being external surface sorption and the second step being intra-articular diffusion. The process was determined to be endergonic, and the data satisfactorily matched both the Freundlich and Langmuir models, with a qm of 0.53 mg·L−1 (T = 55 °C), indicating the predominance of physisorption. The findings suggest the potential of coffee grounds for BC production; nevertheless, surface structure modifications are necessary to enhance F− affinity and subsequently improve adsorption capacity.

Novel Sb-doped cobalt oxide as a catalyst on peroxymonosulfate activation to degrade organic pollutants efficiently

Novel Sb-doped cobalt oxides (SCO) with dual active sites were fabricated by sol-gel combustion way and characterized via various analytical methods, which presented excellent performance as catalysts for activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to remove refractory pollutants. Among the materials with different doping ratios, the SCO catalyst with the molar ratio of Sb/Co = 0.2 (SCO-3) showed the most remarkable activity. In the SCO-3/PMS system, the removal efficiency of norfloxacin (NOR) was 91.2 % with 0.06 g/L SCO-3 and 0.24 g/L PMS at neutral pH in 40 min. Nearly 100 % of tetracycline (TC) and rhodamine B (RhB) were eliminated within 40 min and 5 min under the same condition, respectively. Attributed to the modified surface structure, enhanced electron transfer ability, and various reactive oxygen species (ROS), SCO-3 possessed good performance on PMS activation for removing various refractory pollutants. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the dominating ROS were SO4-·, ·O2-, and 1O2, which were generated by the activation of the Sb and Co sites on PMS. Eventually, based on some experiments and analysis, the reusability, stability, and degradation pathway were determined. This work promoted a foundation for applying Sb-Co heterogeneous catalysts in organic wastewater treatment during the PMS oxidation process for the first time.

Fluorine free surface modification of tannin-furanic foams by silylation

Tannin-furanic foams are a promising and biogenic alternative to oil-based porous materials. Their hydrophilic character, typically indicated by a contact angle to water of 70°, limits some potential applications (for instance outdoor thermal insulation). To overcome this, a post-synthetic surface modification step with different fluorine-free organosilanes at 323 K was investigated with a focus on the final, hydrophobic performance. On the one side, methyltrimethoxysilane, and 3-(chloropropyl)trimethoxysilane, which undergo self-condensation as well as bonding to the hydroxy groups of the tannin polymer, were applied. A modified surface structure and a 25 to 50 % weight increase, depending on the molecular weight of the silylation agent, were observed. Contrary, a mono-functional silane, precicely trimethylchlorosilane, shows only a slight increase in weight, yet also condenses onto the polymer surface without forming a protective surface coating layer. Contact angle measurements using water show an increase from 70° (unmodified) up to 145° for a silane-modified foam. Nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy show the formation of covalent bonds between the silane and the biogenic polymer matrix. The obtained material is less prone to absorb water from a humid atmosphere (reduction of 75 %) and is highly efficient for the removal of non-polar contaminants from water, featuring new possible applications in humid surrounds.

Multi-faceted analysis of bacterial transformation of nitrofurantoin

Excessive presence of antibiotics and their residues can be dangerous to the natural environment. To reduce this negative effect, efficient strategies to remove them from the ecosystem are required. This study aimed to explore the potential of bacterial strains to degrade nitrofurantoin (NFT). Single strains isolated from contaminated areas, namely Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila N0B, Pseudomonas indoloxydans WB, and Serratia marcescens ODW152 were employed in this study. Degradation efficiency and dynamic changes within the cells during NFT biodegradation were investigated. For this purpose, atomic force microscopy, flow cytometry, zeta potential, and particle size distribution measurements were applied. Serratia marcescens ODW152 showed the highest performance in removal of NFT (96 % in 28 days). The AFM images revealed modifications of cell shape and surface structure induced by NFT. Zeta potential showed significant variations during biodegradation. Cultures exposed to NFT had a broader size distribution than the control cultures due to increased cells agglomeration or aggregation. 1-Aminohydantoin and semicarbazide were detected as nitrofurantoin biotransformation products. They showed increased cytotoxicity toward bacteria as determined by spectroscopy and flow cytometry. Results of this study suggest that nitrofurantoin biodegradation leads to formation of stable transformation products that significantly affect the physiology and structure of bacterial cells.

Anion Storage of MXenes.

Recently, anion storage materials have gained significant attention owing to the widened cell voltage and additional anion storing capacity for a large energy density. MXenes are considered as the emerging anion storing materials owing to their sufficient interlayer spacing, rich surface chemistries, tunable structures, remarkable electrochemical properties, and mechanical integrity. Herein, a comprehensive review on the anion storage of MXenes covering their anion storage mechanism and state-of-the-art chemical strategies for the improved anion storage performances is reported. The recent progress of MXenes on aluminum ion batteries, metal halogen batteries, halogen ion batteries, and electrochemical electrode deionization is addressed. The scientific and technical challenges and the research direction into the anion storage of MXenes are also addressed and finally the authors' perspective on anion storage of MXenes is provided. Therefore, this review offers an insight into the rational design of MXenes for anion storage materials and the correlation of surface chemistries and structural modifications with anion storage properties for the applications into electrochemical energy storage and water purification.

Femtosecond laser structuring in the fabrication of periodic nanostructure on titanium for enhanced photoelectrochemical dopamine sensing performance

Femtosecond laser structuring in the fabrication of periodic nanostructure on titanium for enhanced photoelectrochemical dopamine sensing performance was reported. The formation of laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) upon titanium foil depended on the polarization of the femtosecond laser beam. When linearly and radially polarized femtosecond laser beam interacted with titanium foil, LIPSS were generated on titanium surface and further used for the fabrication of electrode material in photoelectrochemical dopamine sensing. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis absorption spectra were performed to study the surface characteristics of the laser treated titanium foil. The results revealed that low spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) formation occurred at both cases of the linearly and radially polarized laser treated titanium foil with a period of about 350 and 250 nm and owned the significant surface chemical and structural modification (abundant Ti4+ state and hydroxyl functional group), especially in term of radially polarized laser treated titanium foil. The radially polarized laser treated titanium foil owning optimal surface structural modification contributed multiple catalytically active sites and made the outstanding photoelectrochemical performance of dopamine sensing. It was concluded that femtosecond laser surface structuring made it possible to modify the surface characteristics of objects for future construction of sensing platforms.

Tetracycline removal from aqueous solution by electrooxidation using ruthenium-coated graphite anode

This paper reports the electrochemical oxidation treatment of 80 mL of acidic aqueous solutions with 0.2 mM of the drug tetracycline in 25 mM Na2SO4 using a lab-scale electrochemical cell. The performance of tetracycline removal with Ru-coated graphite by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) and raw graphite anode has been demonstrated. The effects of operating parameters were tested such as pH, applied current, supporting electrolyte concentration, and initial tetracycline concentration. The best tetracycline degradation was obtained with Ru-coated graphite anode due to its higher oxidation power, which allowed the complete degradation of refractory compounds. The modified surface structure of the Ru-coated graphite anode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). The EO process with Ru-coated graphite anode allowed 93.8% tetracycline abatement after 100 min of electrolysis at an applied current of 100 mA. In all cases, tetracycline decay obeyed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The tetracycline removal performance of graphite electrodes with nano coating on graphite has offered a performing alternative. A Comparative study revealed that electrolysis with Ru-coated graphite acted as a better electrode material than raw graphite for the catalytic reaction.

Metal Halide Perovskite Surfaces with Mixed A‐Site Cations: Atomic Structure and Device Stability

AbstractMixing cations in the perovskite structure has been shown to improve optoelectronic device performance and stability. In particular, CsxMA1‐xPbBr3 (MA = CH3NH3) has been used to build high‐efficiency light‐emitting diodes. Despite those advantages, little is known about the exact location of the cations in the mixed perovskite film, and how cation distribution affects device properties and stability. By using scanning tunneling microscopy , the exact atomic structure of the mixed cation CsxMA1‐xPbBr3 perovskite interface is revealed. In addition, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy and inverse photoemission spectroscopy are used to study the stability and electronic properties of the CsxMA1‐xPbBr3 perovskite film. Partial substitution of MA+ by Cs+ induces a modification of the perovskite surface structure, leading to improved device stability is shown. These results provide a better understanding of the key parameters involved in the stability of mixed cation perovskite solar cells.

Layer‐by‐layer preparation of electromagnetic NH2‐SiO2/polypyrrole/Ni nanocomposites, characterization and their electrochemical properties

AbstractCombinations of organic conducting polymers and inorganic electromagnetic materials have drawn much attention in various fields like energy storage materials, biosensors, biomedical applications, catalysis and removal of heavy metals from water. In this investigation an attempt is made to decorate polypyrrole (PPy), a semiconducting electroactive polymer, with Ni nanoparticles on a functional silica (SiO2) support. First, amine‐functionalized mesoporous NH2‐SiO2 seed particles are prepared by the sol–gel method using hexamethylenediamine as a surface‐functionalizing agent and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a template. Second, NH2‐SiO2/PPy composite particles are prepared via in situ seeded chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole. The surface of the NH2‐SiO2/PPy composite particles is finally immobilized/doped with Ni nanoparticles via in situ chemical reduction of Ni(II) salt. The surface morphology, structure modification, size distribution and magnetic properties of the prepared NH2‐SiO2/PPy/Ni nanocomposite particles are confirmed using various spectroscopic techniques, electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurements, X‐ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometry. The NH2‐SiO2/PPy/Ni nanocomposite particles possess good paramagnetic properties. A comparative study of electrochemical properties revealed improvement in specific capacitance of NH2‐SiO2/PPy composite compared to PPy but further decoration with Ni nanoparticles under alkaline condition reduces the capacitance value. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.