Non-faradaic electrochemical biosensor based on APTES-modified core-shell silica nanoparticles.

Molecular dynamics simulation of the effects of SiO2 nanoparticles on thermophysical properties of low concentration salt solution fluid

Hydrophilic SiO2 nanoparticle deposition on boiling surface: Molecular dynamics insights into deposition behavior and heat transfer performance

This study investigated the influence of nanoparticle material type and weight percentage on the flow behaviour of underfill encapsulation in Ball Grid Array (BGA) assemblies. As BGA packages are increasingly used in high-density and high-performance electronic devices, ensuring reliable solder joint encapsulation becomes critical. While nanoparticle-reinforced underfills enhance thermal and mechanical performance, they also introduce complexities in flow behaviour due to changes in viscosity and particle–fluid interactions. To address this, a multiphase numerical model was developed using the Finite Volume Method (FVM) and the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) in ANSYS Fluent to simulate the transient flow of underfill resin reinforced with Al₂O₃, SiO₂, and TiO₂ nanoparticles at varying weight percentages (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). The simulation captured the progression of fluid fill at intervals (25%, 50%, 75%, 95%) and measured total flow time. Results revealed Al₂O₃-based underfill consistently achieved faster flow, with the shortest 95% fill time recorded at 69.84 seconds for a 17.16% weight load concentration, while SiO₂-based underfill had the slowest flow, with times exceeding 74 seconds at 20% loading. These differences were attributed to variations in nanoparticle density and dispersion behaviour. A Random Forest regression model trained on simulation data further confirmed that nanoparticle type and concentration were the most significant predictors of flow time. These findings demonstrate that optimal nanoparticle selection can balance mechanical reinforcement with manufacturability. The results offer practical insights for electronics manufacturers aiming to improve process throughput and reliability in advanced packaging by selecting suitable nanoparticle-enhanced underfill formulations. Keywords: Underfill encapsulation, Nanoparticle reinforcement, Finite Volume Method, Discrete Phase Model, Artificial Neural Network.

Impact of SiO2 Nanoparticles on Radish Growth, Enzyme Activity, and Nutrient Content under Saline Water Stress

Over the last decade, crams on transformer oil-based nanofluids has advanced rapidly. Compared to pure transformer oils, vegetable oil-based nanofluids may be considered the future insulation fluids since they offer a unique potential for improving breakdown strength and heat transmission efficiency. In this paper, nanofluids (NFs) were made by dispersing nanoparticles (NPs) into mustard oil as the base oil because of their superior electrical and thermal properties. To create nanofluids, two types of nanoparticles, insulating nanoparticles Al2O3 and SiO2, were chosen and suspended in mustard oil at varying concentrations of 0.15 g/L, 0.3 g/L and 0.5g/L. The breakdown strength of AC and DC in oil samples with and without nanoparticles was determined using IEC 60156 standard test with a gap of 2.5 mm and a voltage rise rate of 2.5 kV/s. Summarizes the experiment's findings for the Alumina and silica-based nanofluids and their concentrations. The enhancement in breakdown voltage was approximately 15.23%, increased by adding alumina 0.15g/L concentration. It was also observed that the improvement in breakdown voltage was about 11.51% by adding silica 0.5g/L concentration. The experimental results were compared to those from earlier studies, revealing that most of the test results obtained in this study were comparable to those obtained in previous studies.

Abstract Neutral-density (ND) filters that attenuate light without spectral distortion are essential for imaging and sensing systems. We examine self-assembled sub-100 nm SiO₂ nanoparticle structures in ultrapure water (UPW) as a model platform for color-preserving ND filters. Nanoparticles are synthesized by a Stöber-type process, varying ammonia content, UPW fraction, and stirring rate to control size and monodispersity. Three representative films are selected: Sample A is an ideal monodisperse assembly, Sample B contains small-particle impurities that fill voids, and Sample C contains large-particle impurities that cause crowding. Angle-resolved reflectance shows Bragg peaks whose intensity and sharpness reflect in-plane order. Time-resolved transmittance during drying in UPW indicates that Sample A maintains higher transparency, while Samples B and C deteriorate faster. SEM images, size histograms, and radial distribution functions (RDFs) connect these optical trends to impurity-driven changes in interparticle spacing, guiding future polymer-embedded, tunable ND filters for broadband, color-neutral attenuation in thin-film devices.

Despite urgent demands for eco-friendly superhydrophobic coatings, solvent-free waterborne fabrication combining robust durability and multifunctionality remains challenging, primarily due to the inherent incompatibility between low-surface-energy hydrophobic filler and high-surface-energy water solutions. Hydrophobic fillers tend to aggregate or stratify spontaneously in water spontaneously. Herein, a fully waterborne, ultradurable superhydrophobic coating is stably fabricated via a capsule-like encapsulation strategy. The superhydrophilic diatomite scaffold stabilizes fluorinated SiO2 nanoparticles (F-SiO2) within waterborne polyurethane (WPU) by pore encapsulation, obtaining a uniform and stable emulsion. Upon curing, mechanical abrasion triggers "damage-responsive" F-SiO2 migration, enabling enhanced surface roughness and self-repairing superhydrophobicity. Strong interface interactions between WPU and diatomite synergistically endow the coating with harsh environmental resilience (-40∼200 °C; pH 1∼13; UV; plasma) and outstanding wear resistance (>2500 Taber abrasion cycles). Multifunctionality is further unlocked through colorability and anti-icing and active de-icing capabilities. The coating displays comprehensive superiority in solvent-free processing, water repellency, durability, aesthetics, reparability, and de-icing. This breakthrough addresses the persistent waterborne fabrication-durability trade-off in superhydrophobic coatings, establishing a generalized platform for sustainable adaptive surface engineering.

Nanoparticle–surfactant composite flooding systems significantly enhance oil recovery through synergistic effects. When the optimal ratio of SiO2 nanoparticles to nonionic surfactant alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (OP-10) in the composite system is 3:2, the oil–water interfacial tension (IFT) decreases to 0.005 mN/m, and the contact angle changes from the original 128° to 42°, achieving effective wettability alteration. Core displacement experiments demonstrate that the recovery rate using nanoparticles alone is 46.8%, and using surfactant alone is 52.3%, while the composite system achieves 71.5%, representing a 39.2 percentage point improvement over water flooding. The composite system operates through multiple mechanisms including interfacial tension reduction, wettability alteration, stable emulsion formation, and enhanced sweep efficiency. The wedging effect of nanoparticles at pore throats and the interfacial activity of surfactants form significant synergistic enhancement, providing a new technical pathway for efficient development of low-permeability reservoirs.

Polymer blends often suffer from macroscopic phase separation due to incompatibility, with conventional compatibilization techniques relying on kinetically trapped, inhomogeneous structures. Here, we show that confining prototypical immiscible polymers, polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), within the interstices of a nanoparticle packing effectively suppresses phase separation at the macroscopic scale. By varying the confinement ratio (Γ, the ratio of a bulk polymer's radius of gyration to the nanoparticle packing's pore radius) between 0.6 and 2.2 through modulating the polymer molecular weight and nanoparticle diameters (7-61 nm), we establish a confinement-driven morphology transition. Systems with Γ < 0.9 display macroscopic phase separation, akin to bulk blends, as observed via optical and scanning electron microscopy. In contrast, for Γ > 2, macroscopic phase separation is suppressed across all microscopy scales. Passivating SiO2 nanoparticles with chlorotrimethylsilane, which weakens PMMA-SiO2 interactions, induces macrophase separation across all tested Γs, underscoring the critical role of polymer-nanoparticle interactions in phase behavior. Self-consistent field theory simulations also show that confinement to the pores between nanoparticles suppresses phase separation, which is further suppressed when the nanoparticles are preferentially wetted by one of the polymers. We propose a pore-scale segregation mechanism in which PMMA preferentially wets the nanoparticle surfaces, while PS localizes to pore centers. Selective solvation experiments indicate the presence of a continuous PMMA layer, consistent with a core-shell morphology validated by resonant soft X-ray scattering. These results demonstrate how confinement within nanoparticle packings can influence polymer blend phase behavior with implications for the design of nanocomposite films with tunable properties.

Cellulose-based coated paper with high water vapor barrier properties through multi-scale structural synergy for sustainable packaging.

Ultra-low friction with SiO2 nanoparticles bonded sorbitan monostearate oleogel as green lubricant additives

SiO2 nanoparticles disrupt neurodevelopmental processes in human midbrain organoids in a redox-suppressed, non-cytotoxic manner.

Tailoring hydrodynamic size and stability of TiO2–SiO2 nanoparticles for enhanced electrochemical performance of supercapacitors

Overcoming mass transport limitations imposed by stagnant boundary layers is critical for advancing heterogeneous catalysis. Building upon strategies utilizing deformable metal-organic nanosheets (MONs) to enhance diffusion, we report the synthesis of well-defined core-shell microspheres that integrate flexible and functional two-dimensional MONs. Nonporous carboxyl-terminated SiO2 nanoparticle cores are seamlessly enveloped by ultrathin Zr-MON shells through a facile bottom-up approach. The resulting MON@SiO2 architecture exposes abundant coordinatively unsaturated Zr(IV) Lewis acid sites on its deformable nanosheets. Further introduction of the triethylenediamine (DABCO) moieties into the MON produces MON-DABCO@SiO2, enabling the co-existence of isolated Lewis acid and base sites amenable to promoting challenging reactions that are unachievable by homogeneous systems. These dynamic core-shell structures significantly enhance molecular diffusion to the active sites, as evidenced by ultra-efficient catalysis (>99% yield) in the one-pot hydrolysis-Knoevenagel tandem reactions across broad-scope substrates. Importantly, the SiO2 core confers exceptional structural durability, enabling great catalytic recyclability for at least 5 consecutive cycles without any degradation of the performances, which is in stark contrast to the unsupported MONs. This work therefore establishes core-shell engineering of deformable MONs as a versatile approach for architecting high-performance and durable heterogeneous catalysts by synergistically combining enhanced mass transport with nanoconfinement effects.

Hard-phase intensification by SiO2 nanoparticles for dislocation-mediated Mg supersaturation and tunable corrosion in Fe–Mg alloys

Effect of particle size and surface linkers of SiO2 nanoparticles on the efficiency of human tyrosine hydroxylase

3D printing via direct ink writing (DIW) enables the precise fabrication of macroscale architectures for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption elastomers (EMWAEs). However, achieving inks that combine excellent printability with superior electromagnetic and mechanical properties remains challenging. Here, a scalable fabrication strategy employing MXene@modified-RGO@SiO2 microspheres synthesized through continuous spheroidization is presented. The incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles on the microsphere surface preserves the spherical morphology, enhances dispersion within the silicone elastomer matrix, and optimizes rheological behavior for stable DIW extrusion. Guided by electromagnetic simulations, three-layer gradient-porous structures is designed and printed that maximize interfacial polarization and multiple scattering effects. The resulting elastomers exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -44dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 7.2GHz at a thickness of only 3mm. In addition to their outstanding electromagnetic performance, the printed materials demonstrate improved thermal conductivity and tensile strength, offering a multifunctional platform suitable for flexible and wearable electronic devices. This approach provides a simple, effective, and customizable route for integrating advanced fillers into 3D-printable elastomers, paving the way for next-generation EMWAEs with tunable architectures, broad bandwidth absorption, and mechanical robustness.

This review article provides a comprehensive assessment of nanotechnology applications in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). The study examines major categories of nanoparticles (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, carbon-based materials, and hybrid nanoparticles) and analyzes their key mechanisms, including wettability alteration, interfacial tension reduction, structural disjoining pressure, and enhancement of heat transfer. Laboratory data and limited field trials indicate that nanoparticles can improve oil recovery by 10–20%. However, challenges such as dispersion instability, particle aggregation, high production costs, and uncertainties under high-temperature and high-salinity conditions limit large-scale implementation. By synthesizing current research, the review outlines the most promising nanoparticle systems and highlights future directions for expanding nano-EOR technologies in industrial applications.

Creep strength evaluation is vital for structural materials used in high-temperature applications, like Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and marine. Factors like creep behaviour, rupture time, load, and strain are crucial for material design due to extreme working conditions. This study investigates GFRP's creep rupture behaviour reinforced with nanoparticles, examining varied nano SiO2 content (1 %, 2 %, 3 % wt.) and fibre orientations (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°). Tensile tests are conducted per ASTM D2990 standard to assess material strength, aiding in determining the necessary creep load rate for universal testing machine configuration. Creep tests are performed under axial loads at temperatures ranging from 50 °C to 140 °C. At 110 °C, the highest strain (0.9 %) is observed for 45° and 15° orientations, while 0° and 30° orientations exhibit the lowest strain. All structures show maximal strain at 110 °C, reaching 1 % for 45° and 15° orientations, and least strain for 0° and 30° orientations. Nanoparticle effects vary across orientations, with up to 2 % wt. resulting in increased strain rates at different temperatures. Notably, the 15° and 45° orientations display distinct responses.