Presence Of SiO2 Nanoparticles Research Articles

Molecular simulation of liquid-liquid extraction of acetic acid and acetone from water in the presence of nanoparticles based on prediction of solubility parameters

In this work, molecular dynamics simulation (MD) was used for studying the liquid-liquid extraction of acetic acid and acetone from water in the presence of nanoparticles. In the next step, the solubility parameter of acetic acid and acetone were predicted at 1 atm and different temperatures along with the solubility parameter of solvents and water at 25 °C and 1 atm. Three pure systems and three systems with different concentration of nanoparticles were investigated to show the effect of cell size or number of molecules on the solubility parameter. With the addition of SiO2 nanoparticles to the solvents, at low concentrations of nanoparticles (0.01–0.1 vol%), the solubility parameter is increased due to the Brownian motion. With the further increase concentration of the nanoparticles, the solubility parameter decreases due to the accumulation of nanoparticles. The difference between the solubility parameter of benzene and acetone was 0.414 (J/cm3)0.5 and 3.13 (J/cm3)0.5, with and without the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles, respectively. Finally, toluene was found to be the best solvent for acetone and acetic acid at silica nanoparticles concentration of 0.062 vol%.

Investigation of solvent extraction of acetic acid and acetone from water in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles using molecular dynamics simulation

In this study, molecular dynamics simulation was used to predict the molecular diffusion coefficient of acetic acid and acetone in water, toluene, and benzene. The results showed that COMPASS was the best force field to optimize the atoms and structure of molecules, and the results were compared with experimental equations. The Arrhenius behavior of the molecular diffusion coefficient was investigated at three temperatures. The extraction of acetic acid and acetone from water was investigated using two solvents, toluene, and benzene, with and without SiO2 nanoparticles. The relative concentration change diagram was drawn for three cases without and with SiO2 nanoparticles. To quantitatively examine the results, extraction efficiency, selectivity, and distribution coefficient were calculated. The extraction efficiency of acetone from water by benzene in the absence of silica nanoparticles was 65.748 %, this value in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles with a concentration of 0.2231 wt% was 72.45 % due to the Brownian motion of the nanoparticles, which increased the mass transfer and as a result, the extraction efficiency. With the further increase of nanoparticles up to 1.7573 wt%, the extraction efficiency decreased to 61.276 %, which can be attributed to the accumulation of silica nanoparticles and the decrease in the free movement of nanoparticles.

Biochar-mediated release of CO2 from monoethanolamine/H2O solution with low energy requirement over ZrO2/SiO2/biochar ternary catalysts

CO2 absorption technology based on amine solutions has sustained appeal due to its high efficiency in post-combustion capture of CO2. However, the high energy penalty of solvent regeneration limits its large-scale industrial application. Therefore, designing inexpensive catalysts to reduce solvent regeneration energy consumption remains challenging. This study reports a recyclable ternary catalyst, ZrO2/SiO2/biochar, which was synthesized by co-pyrolysis of zirconium oxychloride and wheat flour in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles. The incorporation of biochar improved the distribution of Lewis acidic sites (LAS) and Brønsted acidic sites (BAS). The improved BASs and LASs of ZrO2/SiO2/biochar catalyst were conductive to donate protons or accept electrons and thus, the amount and rate of CO2 desorption from CO2-saturated monoethanolamine (90 °C) were more than 24% and 26% higher, respectively, to compare with the catalyst-free system at the same conditions. As a result, the energy penalty was decreased by about 31%. A biochar-mediated proton-transfer mechanism that the presence of biochar increased the mesoporous proportion, the BAS and L/B ratio as well as the favorable charge transfer was inferred for the ZrO2/SiO2/biochar-catalyzed CO2 release through experimental evidence. The results reveal the role of biochar in solid acid catalysts for CO2 desorption, which will provide a novel strategy for building solid acid catalysts to reduce energy requirements in CO2 capture.

Silica nanoparticles inhibit cadmium uptake by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila without the need for adsorption

The simultaneous presence of nanoparticles (NPs) and heavy metals in the environment may affect their mutual biological uptake. Although previous studies showed that NPs could alter the cellular uptake of heavy metals by their adsorption of heavy metals, whether they could affect metal uptake without the need for adsorption is unknown. This study examined the effects of silica (SiO2) NPs on the uptake of Cd ion by the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila. We found that, even with negligible levels of adsorption, SiO2 NPs at concentrations of 3 to 100 mg/L inhibited Cd uptake. This inhibitory effect decreased as the ambient Cd concentration increased from 1 to 100 μg/L, suggesting the involvement of at least two transporters with different affinities for Cd. The transporters were subsequently identified by the specific protein inhibitors amiloride and tariquidar as NCX and ABCB1, which are responsible for the uptake of Cd at low and high Cd levels, respectively. RT-qPCR and molecular dynamics simulation further showed that the inhibitory effects of SiO2 NPs were attributable to the down-regulated expression of the genes Ncx and Abcb1, steric hindrance of Cd uptake by NCX and ABCB1, and the shrinkage of the central channel pore of the transporters in the presence of SiO2 NPs. SiO2 NPs more strongly inhibited Cd transport by NCX than by ABCB1, due to the higher binding affinity of SiO2 NPs with NCX. Overall, our study sheds new light on a previously overlooked influence of NPs on metal uptake and the responsible mechanism.

Dielectric response of vegetable oil-based nanofluid and impregnated Kraft paper for high voltage transformer insulation

Methyl ester from vegetable oil has been considered a potential replacement for mineral oil used for power transformer cooling and insulating applications. However, some pertinent properties in making this liquid a better transformer oil based on the laydown standards need to be enhanced to maximize the use of this insulating liquid. Technology involving nano-modification can enhance the properties of these ester liquids placing them in a better position as a good alternative. In this study, we aim to investigate the performance of methyl ester liquid from neem seed oil, a non-food grade oil, when modified with SiO2 insulating nanoparticles at several concentrations. Furthermore, Kraft paper compatibility has also been analyzed to observe their compatibility after impregnation. The breakdown strength, temperature-dependent dissipation loss factor, dielectric constant, and viscosity of both pure and nanofluid samples of neem ester liquid have been measured per standard methods. The nanofluid's dielectric performance has been significantly enhanced by the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles according to results obtained from the experiment. For instance, the dielectric dissipation factor at an operating frequency of 60 Hz has been improved by 96%, 89%, and 79% at 30 °C, 50 °C, and 70 °C respectively relative to the base neem liquid. This remarkable improvement has been attributed to the SiO2 nanoparticle's ability to polarize, trap, and de-trap mobile electrons develop in nanofluid when an electric field is applied.

Impact of SiO2 nanoparticles on the structure and property of type I collagen in three different forms

Silica-based nanoparticles have found application in the development of biocomposites involving reconstituted collagen in tissue engineering and wound healing, and leather modification, specifically targeting collagen fibers. However, a comprehensive investigation into the interaction between collagen-silica nanoparticles and different forms of collagen using biophysical methods remains unexplored. In this study, we examined the interaction between silica (SiO2) nanoparticles and collagen in its fiber, microfibril, and monomer forms through high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, circular dichroism, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence analysis, zeta potential measurements, and turbidity assays. Our results reveal that SiO2 nanoparticles exhibited a non-specific attraction towards collagen fibers without disrupting their structural integrity. Interestingly, SiO2 nanoparticles influenced the process of microfibrillation, resulting in heterogeneous fibril diameters while maintaining the natural D-periodicity. This finding is significant, as fibril size variations can impact the properties of collagen composites. Notably, the triple helical structure of collagen in its monomer form remained unaffected in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles, indicating that the nanoparticles did not disrupt the electrostatic interactions that stabilize the triple helix. Additionally, the increased stability of SiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of collagen confirmed their interaction. These findings provide a promising avenue for the development of SiO2-based nanoparticles to enhance the stability of collagen fibers and control fiber sizes for biomaterial preparation. Moreover, this study advances the potential application of SiO2-based nanoparticles in leather tanning, an emerging field where nanoparticles can play a crucial role.

Foam Stabilization by Surfactant/SiO2 Composite Nanofluids

This paper deals with the potential of aggregates of surfactant and SiO2 nanoparticles as foam stabilizers for practical applications. The effects of different chain lengths and concentrations of the cationic surfactant CnTAB on the performance of CnTAB–SiO2 nanofluids are examined to gain a comprehensive understanding of their ability to stabilize foam. The results indicate enhanced foam stability in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles. These findings help to better understand foam stabilization and its potential in various industrial applications such as enhanced oil recovery and foam-based separation processes.

Compaction of Calf Thymus DNA by a Potential One-Head-Two-Tail Surfactant: Properties of Nanomaterials and Biological Testing for Gene Delivery.

A one-head-two-tail cationic surfactant, Dilauryldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) has shown a great extent of calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) compaction being adsorbed on the surfaces of negatively charged SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). DDAB molecules show high adsorption efficiency and induce many positive surface charges per-unit surface area of the SiO2 NPs compared to cationic Gemini (12-6-12) and conventional (DTAB) surfactants in an aqueous medium at pH 7.4, as evident from zeta potential and EDAX data. Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy images, along with ethidium bromide exclusion assay and DLS data support the compaction of ct-DNA. Fluorescence microscopic images show that in the presence of SiO2 NPs, DDAB can perform 50% compaction of ct-DNA at a concentration ∼58% and ∼99% lower than that of 12-6-12 and DTAB, respectively. Better ct-DNA compaction by DDAB is evident compared to other Gemini surfactants (12-4-12 and 12-8-12) as well reported before. Time-correlated single photon counting fluorescence intensity decay measurements of a probe DAPI in ct-DNA have revealed the average lifetime value that is decreased by ∼61% at 2.5 μM of DDAB in the presence of SiO2 NPs as compared to a decrease by only ∼29% in its absence, supporting NPs-induced stronger surfactant binding with ct-DNA. Fluorescence lifetime data have also demonstrated the crowding effect of NPs. At 2.5 μM of DDAB, both fast and slow rotational relaxation components of DAPI contribute almost equally to depolarization with the absence of NPs; however, with the presence of NPs, ∼96% weightage of the anisotropy decay is for the fast component. The present DDAB-SiO2 NPs combination has proved to be an excellent gene delivery system based on the cell viability in the mouse mammary gland adenocarcinoma cells (4T1) and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell lines, and in vitro and in vivo studies.

Investigation on the synergistic effect of pH and pyridinium-based ionic liquid on the wettability alteration of dolomite rock and IFT of formation brine/alkaline crude oil at the presence and absence of SiO2 nanoparticles

Investigation on the hybrid enhanced oil recovery solutions and methods is gaining attention during the last decade since they can activate multiple mechanisms such as viscosity reduction, interfacial tension (IFT) reduction, and wettability alteration. So, the current work is concentrated on the application of 1-octyl-3-methyl pyridinium chloride ([C8py][Cl]) and 1-dodecyl-3-methyl pyridinium chloride ([C12py][Cl]) as novel surfactants in the absence and presence of SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) for the first time for possible IFT reduction and rock wettability change (contact angle (CA) measurement). In this way, the concentration of ionic liquids (ILs) and SiO2-NPs ranged between 0–2000 ppm and 0–1000 ppm, respectively, to see the influence of these chemicals on the wettability change and IFT reduction. The point is that the higher concentrations of these chemicals were not examined since using higher concentrations makes it expensive and uneconomic for field-scale applications. The obtained results revealed that as the pH increases from 3 to 11 in the absence of different chemicals (formation brine/basic crude oil), the IFT experiences an increase from 20.3 to 31.2 mN/m, while the situation for CA is more complicated. In detail, the results revealed that increasing the pH in the range of 3–11 leads to an increase in the CA from 103.2° to 121.3° (increasing pH from 3 to 7) while a further increase in the pH leads to a reduction in CA value from 121.3° to 118.3°. Moreover, the results revealed that increasing the concentration of [C8py][Cl] from 0 to 2000 ppm led to a reduction in IFT value from 20.3 to 0.95 mN/m for pH of 3, from 27.3 to 2.2 mN/m for pH of 7 and from 31.2 to 5.4 mN/m for pH of 11. Besides, the measurements for [C12py][Cl] revealed that increasing the concentration from 0 to 2000 ppm leads to IFT reduction from 20.3 to 0.74 mN/m for pH of 3, from 27.3 to 0.9 for pH of 7, and from 31.2 to 1.4 mN/m for pH of 11. The results demonstrated a higher influence of [C12py][Cl] on the IFT reduction compared with the [C8py][Cl] due to the longer alkyl chain length of [C12py][Cl] which means more detergency power. Furthermore, the effects of these two ILs are examined on the wettability change which showed that both of the examined ILs are capable to manipulate the wettability of the rock surface toward water-wet conditions (53.3°) from oil-wet conditions (121.3°). Also, the influence of SiO2-NPs in the range of 0–1000 ppm is investigated on the IFT reduction and wettability change while the concentration of ILs is held constant at 2000 ppm since the concentration of 2000 ppm leading to the lowest CA and IFT values for both examined ILs. The obtained results reveal that not only the presence of SiO2-NPs with a maximum concentration of 1000 ppm leads to a reducing trend on the IFT in particular for the pH of 11 regardless of the used IL but also it changes the surface wettability to strongly water-wet condition with minimum CA value of 28.5°. In the last stage, the efficiency of the optimum chemical formulations was examined through core flooding experiments using conventional core flooding procedure and the core flooding experiments concomitant with the soaking time (30 days). The experiments revealed that the chemical formulation under a pH of 3 leads to the highest oil recovery factors while the lowest oil recovery factors are obtained under a pH of 11. Besides, the core flooding experiments followed by soaking reveal the ultimate oil recovery of 10.1 and 13.3% based on the original oil in place (OOIP) due to better activation of the wettability change mechanism which was 46% higher than the situation no soaking was performed. The findings of this study can help for a better understanding of the feasibility and applicability of using new hybrid surfactant-NPs-based EOR methods to activate wettability alteration and IFT reduction, especially with a main focus on one specific fraction of crude oil (resin fraction) instead of crude oil.

Effect of chemicals on the phase and viscosity behavior of water in oil emulsions

Due to population growth, the need for energy, especially fossil fuels, is increased every year. Since the costs of exploring new reservoirs and drilling new wells are very high, most reservoirs have passed their first and second periods of life, and it is necessary to use EOR methods. Water-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are one of the popular methods in this field. In this method, due to the possibility of emulsion formation is high, and by creating a stable emulsion, viscosity and mobility improved. In this study, the parameters affecting the stability and viscosity of the emulsion have been investigated step by step. In the first step, 50% (v/v) of water has been selected as the best water cut. The type of salt and its best concentration was evaluated in the second step by measuring the average droplets size. The third step investigated the effect of SiO2 nanoparticles and surfactant (span80) on emulsion stability and viscosity. According to the results, the best amount of water cut was 50% due to the maximum viscosity. In salts the yield was as follows: MgCl2 > CaCl2 > MgSO4 > Na2SO4 > NaCl. The best yield was related to MgCl2 at a concentration of 10,000 ppm. Finally, it was shown that the synergy of nanoparticles and surfactants resulted in higher stability and viscosity than in the case where each was used alone. It should be noted that the optimal concentration of nanoparticles is equal to 0.1% (w/w), and the optimal concentration of surfactant is equal to 200 ppm. In general, a stable state was obtained in 50% water-cut with MgCl2 salt at a concentration of 10,000 ppm and in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.1% and span 80 surfactants at a concentration of 200 ppm. The results obtained from this study provide important insights for optimal selection of the water-based EOR operation parameters. Viscosity showed a similar trend with stability and droplet size. As the average particle size decreased (or stability increased), the emulsion viscosity increased.

Thermal and dielectric properties of PVDF/PEO/SiO2 nanodielectrics for flexible radioelectronic device technologies

Hybrid polymer nanocomposites (HPNCs) are innovative multifunctional materials, which are developed and intensively studied for their uses in the rapid evolution of flexible and lightweight device technologies. Accordingly, to contribute in this area, thermal properties of the crystal phases and the broadband radio frequencies dielectric dispersion and relaxation behaviour of the HPNC films based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/silica (SiO2) are formulated and studied by employing differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and impedance/material analyzer (IMA). DSC thermograms of these semicrystalline HPNCs explained the wide range alteration in the crystals melting temperature of PVDF (153–167 ​°C) and PEO (59–72 ​°C) and the total degree of crystallinity (4–87%) with varying compositional ratio over the entire range of the PVDF/PEO blend host matrix and the dispersed amount of amorphous SiO2 nanomaterial up to 15 ​wt%. The dielectric dispersion behaviour of these HPNCs, at 20 ​°C, confirmed a non-linear decrease in permittivity with the increase of applied radio wave electric field frequency from 1 ​MHz to 1 ​GHz, which lies in the range of 6 to 2. At a fixed frequency, dielectric permittivity values exhibited an uneven variation with the increase of SiO2 amount and also the modification in the composition of polymer blend matrix in these composites. The analysis of dielectric loss spectra and relaxation processes revealed that these are low loss dielectrics and the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles in the polymer blend matrix impedes the chain segmental dynamics and the dipole reorientation. The electrical conductivity of these HPNCs enhanced in the range of 10−8 to 10−4 ​S/cm with the increase in frequency but it changed anomalously when the constituent amounts of the formulated composites are varied. The polymer crystals thermal properties and the dielectric and electrical conductivity dispersion behaviour of these materials are demonstrated with the consideration of polymer-polymer and polymer-nanoparticle hybrid interfaces and interactions. The experimental results evidenced the behaviour of PVDF/PEO/SiO2 films as tunable nanodielectrics with their compositions and could be used as insulator and dielectric substrate materials in the advances of flexible radioelectronics and energy storage devices.

Investigating the mechanical properties and morphology of novalac phenolic resin nanocomposite/hybrid short fibers carbon and glass reinforced with silica nanoparticles

The purpose of this research is to make a nanocomposite with combined fibers in order to achieve two integrated mechanical characters including strength and plastic deformation in an optimal way. Novalac type phenolic resin (PF), short fibers carbon (CF) and glass (GF) and silica (SiO2) nanoparticles were used for making. The results showed that with the hybrid of carbon and glass fibers (CGF) in the composite, the ultimate strength and Plastic deformation increased compared to the samples without a combination, and it was modified as an optimal sample. Also, the results showed that the composite sample with hybrid fibers with 2 wt% SiO2 nanoparticles increased the tensile strength by 25%, the bending strength by 48% and the buckling strength by 37%. From the X-ray diffraction and EDX tests, the dispersion of nanoparticles in the composite was determined, and the SEM images showed that with the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles, The amount of adhesion and penetration between resin and fibers has increased. One of the main applications of hybrid nanocomposite can be mentioned portable light structures on land, sea and air, sports goods and orthopedic equipment.

Superhydrophobic Modification of Sansevieria trifasciata Natural Fibres: A Promising Reinforcement for Wood Plastic Composites.

Sansevieria trifasciata fibre (STF) is a lignocellulosic material which could be utilised for reinforcement composites. Surface modification is often needed to improve the compatibility of hydrophilic STF and hydrophobic resin. In this study, treatments for natural fibres to attain superhydrophobic properties were carried out using silica nanoparticles and fluorosilane. Sansevieria trifasciata fibres (STF) were subjected to treatment by deposition of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles which were prepared by the sol-gel method, then followed by modification with fluorosilane, namely 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTS). The presence of SiO2 nanoparticles and PFOTS were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The crystallisation properties and thermal behaviour of STF were studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, respectively. The hydrophobicity of STF was determined by water contact angle (WCA) measurement. The results show that nanoscale SiO2 particles were deposited on the STF surface, and PFOTS were covalently linked to them. The SiO2 nanoparticles provide surface roughness to the fibres, whereas the long-chain fluorine on PFOTS lowered the surface free energy, and their combination in these treatments has successfully modified the STF surface from hydrophilic into superhydrophobic with a WCA of 150° and sliding angle of less than 10°. Altogether, a non-toxic, simple, and promising method of imparting hydrophobicity on natural fibres was developed, opening new opportunities for these fibres as reinforcement for composite parts.

Experimental study of the low salinity water injection process in the presence of scale inhibitor and various nanoparticles

In this work, the process of low salinity water injection (LSWI) into reservoirs at various salt concentrations was simulated in order to study the change in the oil recovery factor during oil production. The simulation results of the recovery factor were compared with the experimental data. The results demonstrated that the simulation data were in good agreement with the experimental results. In addition, the formation damage (rock permeability reduction) in carbonate core samples was evaluated through coreflood experiments during LSWI in the range of salt concentration and temperature of 1500–4000 ppm and 25–100 °C, respectively. In the worst scenario of LSWI, the rock permeability has reached about 83% of the initial value. Our previous correlation was used to predict the formation damage in LSWI. In this case, the R-squared value between predicted and experimental data of rock permeability ratios was more than 0.97. Furthermore, the recovery factor during LSWI was analyzed with and without the use of DTPMP scale inhibitor (diethylenetriamine penta (methylene phosphonic acid)), and various nanoparticles (TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3). The results of the coreflood experiments showed that the use of scale inhibitor provides an increase in the recovery factor by more than 8%. In addition, the highest recovery factor was observed in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles at 0.05 wt.%. The oil displacement during LSWI in the porous media with SiO2 particles was better than TiO2 and Al2O3. The recovery factor in the presence of SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 with DTPMP was 72.2, 62.4, and 59.8%, respectively. Among the studied nanoparticles, the lowest values of the oil viscosity and interfacial tension (IFT) between oil and water were observed when using SiO2. Moreover, the contact angle was increased by increasing the brine concentration. The contact angle with the use of SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 at 0.05 wt.% was reduced by 11.2, 10.6, and 9.9%, respectively.

Fabrication of hydrophilic special sandwich structure of PAN/GO/SiO2 electrospun membrane decorated with SiO2 nanoparticles for oil/water separation

In this paper, a special sandwich structure of the PAN/GO/SiO2 microfiltration membrane was developed using the electrospinning/electrospraying method for efficient oil/water separation. The results of morphological and structural studies confirmed that spraying SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) to the outer surface of PAN/GO nanofibers (NFs) increased the surface roughness and decreased the water contact angle value, which is responsible for the improved hydrophilicity. Moreover, the addition of SiO2 NPs to the middle layer enhanced the porosity and the membrane flux up to 78 % and 423.7 ± 7.1 (L/m2.h), respectively. The values of oil/water rejections indicated the good performance of the PAN//GO-SiO2(1:1)//PAN-SiO2 membrane. Results supported that the presence of SiO2 NPs with a hydrophilic nature led to optimum oil/water separation with rejection over 98 %, obtained under the driving of gravity for free-surfactant Toluene emulsion, and above 97 % for the other types of oils (Pump oil and sunflower oil).

Strength and salt/pH dependent-sorption capacity modulation of N-(alkyl)acrylamide-based semi-IPN hybrid gels reinforced with silica nanoparticles

A simple methodology was described for design of anionically modified thermosensitive organic-inorganic hybrid gels using silica nanoparticle-mediated semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. A thermosensitive copolymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid), P(NIPA-MA), with linear polyacrylamide (LPA) chains was synthesized by conducting free radical polymerization under warm and cold conditions using NIPA and MA in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles. Simple mixing of aqueous monomer solution with linear LPA chains and silica suspensions led to the formation of ionic thermosensitive hybrid gels. The effect of changes in solution environment on the swelling and elastic properties was investigated. Sodium salts of CH3COO−, NO3−, and SCN− were employed to understand specific ion effects and to gain an insight into the influence of kosmotrope and chaotrope solutes on swelling and elasticity at various ionic strength and temperature. The identity of counterion had a strong influence on swelling and compression modulus and was found to follow the reverse order of classical Hofmeister series (HS). The phase transition temperature decreased with increasing salt concentration, and transition changed from discontiuous to continuous. At low salt concentrations, the gels showed discontinuous phase transition at 50 °C, while transition temperature shifts towards 35–45 °C with increasing salt concentration. Dilution of the solution to 10−3 M resulted in a 2.0-fold reduction in compressive modulus of hybrid gels in NaAc solutions while a 3.0-fold reduction in NaSCN solutions. Compression modulus increased with shrinkage of hybrids due to increasing salt concentration. The effect of pH change of swelling medium on the swelling, phase transition profile and elasticity was evaluated. The continuity of pH-dependent swelling curve depended on swelling temperature. pH-triggered oscillation kinetics have been investigated to understand whether they can be used as a pH oscillator since the phase transition pH is close to 5.7. The swelling of NP-loaded hybrids followed a Fickian type diffusion. NP-loaded semi-IPN hybrid gels with typical feature of anionic structure were applied for adsorption of cationic dye methyl violet (MV). Different adsorption isotherm models were investigated to describe interfacial adsorption of MV which was strongly dependent on composition of hybrids. Langmuir isotherm model was found to be most appropriate to describe adsorption process. The superior properties imparted to the present system prepared with anionic modification, semi-IPN structure and NP-loading make semi-IPN hybrid gels suitable candidates for controlled release systems and for adsorbents of cationic dyes.

Study on Microstructure and Properties of the UV Curing Acrylic Epoxy/SiO2 Nanocomposite Coating

This study is aimed at exploring the effects of SiO2 nanoparticles on the crosslinking and mechanical and thermal properties of UV curing acrylic epoxy coating. The curing polymerization process and thermal and mechanical properties of UV-curable acrylate epoxy system have been evaluated with or without the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles. To fabricate the UV curing acrylic epoxy/SiO2 nanocomposite coating, nano-SiO2 particles (0.5–5 wt.% by weight of resin) were added in the photo-curable system using sonication for 3 h. Various techniques for characterization have been used, such as FESEM (field emission scanning electron microscope), FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), TGA (thermogravimetry analysis), gel fraction, and swelling degree analyses. FESEM data indicated that at the content of 2.5 wt.%, nanosilica was homogeneously dispersed in the coating procedure. However, once added 5 wt.%, large aggregation portions were found inside the coating matrices. Surprisingly, nano-SiO2 could play dual roles, as both UV absorbers and nanoreinforcers, in this nanocomposite coating. Besides, data from FTIR, gel fraction, and swelling degree analyses confirmed the role of SiO2 nanoparticles as UV absorbers that reduced the conversion performance of acrylate double bonds, thus increased slightly the swelling degree of coating. In addition, incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles (as nanofillers, at content of 2.5 wt.%) in the polymer matrix enhanced significantly the abrasion resistance and thermal stability of the coating, by 60% (from 98.3 to 158.4 lite/mil) and 9°C (from 348°C to 357°C), respectively.

The effect of ultrasonication of polymer solutions on the performance of hybrid perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes with SiO2 nanoparticles

Perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes are widely used as ion-conducting electrolytes in energy-conversion devices. The development of novel hybrid materials containing inorganic dopants offers the route towards optimization of the performance of the PFSA membranes. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic (US) treatment of the PFSA solutions in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles on the characteristics of the cast hybrid Nafion+SiO2 membranes was studied for the first time. Upon ultrasonication of polymer solutions, the length of macromolecules is reduced, and the number of sulfo groups decreases. When polymer solutions are ultrasonicated in the presence of SiO2, they experience additional crosslinking due to the interaction of SiO2 with sulfo groups of the PFSA polymer. As a result, up to 20% of -SO3H groups appears to be excluded from the ion-exchange process, and the temperature corresponding to destabilization of ionic clusters is reduced. When a hydrophilic dopant is incorporated within pores, the overall water uptake of the hybrid membranes increases, and their proton conductivity is improved. Maximum conductivity (78.6 mS/cm) at 40°С in the contact with water is observed for the Nafion+1 wt% SiO2 membrane cast from polymer solutions upon the ultrasonication for 10 min. The membranes preserve their high conductivity at low relative humidity (4.1 mS/cm at 30°С, 30% RH), and this value is 1.7 times higher than that of the pristine Nafion membrane. Hydrogen permeability of the hybrid Nafion+SiO2 membranes appears to be lower than that of the Nafion membranes by 15%. Hence, US-assisted dispersion of dopant nanoparticles in the PFSA solutions allows preparation of hybrid membranes with improved transport characteristics.

CO2-responsive Pickering emulsion stablized by modified silica nanoparticles: A dissipative particle dynamics simulation study

Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations were applied to investigate the effect of SiO2 nanoparticles (SNPs) modified with different tertiary amine chain length and concentration on O/W emulsion properties, the influence mechanism was also revealed from the molecular level. On this basis, the influence of the modified SNPs volume fraction in the emulsion system was studied. The results showed that with the increase number of tertiary amine chain alkyl carbon, the stability of the original emulsion system was first enhanced and then weakened while the responsiveness of the protonated emulsion system was first weakened and then slightly enhanced, the number of tertiary amine chains modified on SNPs has the same influence rule on emulsion performance, which was determined by the hydrophobicity of modified SNPs. In addition, with the increase of the modified SNPs volume fraction in the emulsion system, the stability of the emulsion is gradually enhanced. However, when the volume fraction of SiO2 exceeds 3%, the amplitude of stability enhancement decreases. The increase in the interaction energy between oil droplets in the equilibrium process is caused by emulsion fusion, which in turn is affected by SNPs. The repulsive force between oil and water is greater than that between two oil drops, which is the reason for the oil drop fusion. The presence of SNPs can reduce the repulsive force between oil and water to different degrees, thus slowing down the fusion of emulsion.

Effect of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on the assessment of quercetin flavonoid using Rhodamine B Isothiocyanate dye

Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols; it has medical importance in treating many diseases. Quercetin flavonoid was assessed using Rhodamine B Isothiocyanate (RBITC) dye in absence and presence of SiO2 nanoparticles at pH = 7 using Tris-HCl buffer solution. This method considered a simple, sensitive, and selective method where the dye has fluorescence emission band at 583 nm after excitation at 552 nm which strongly quenched by quercetin. The results showed that presence of SiO2 nanoparticles which were characterized using different techniques such as XRD, SEM, EDX, IR, TGA and TEM analysis has a significant effect on lowering the detection limit for quercetin using RBITC dye from 19.99 to 9.86 nmol.L−1, increasing the binding constant from 7.17 × 103 to 25.92 × 103 mol−1.L in absence and presence of SiO2 nanoparticles respectively. The interaction between quercetin and RBITC dye was of hydrophobic type and the fluorescence quenching mechanism was static in absence and presence of SiO2 nanoparticles respectively. The method was applied for the determination of quercetin in spiked human plasma where recovery measurements proved the accuracy of this method.