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Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2023) | Viewed by 13913

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. van ’t Hoff Laboratory for Physical & Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2. Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Interests: colloids and nanoparticles; self-organisation; colloidal crystals; colloidal liquid crystals; chiral colloids; active matter and dissipative assembly; advanced synchrotron scattering techniques; microscopy at the nanoscale
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced nanomaterials and modern nanotechnology, in general, play an increasingly important role in solving societal challenges such as the transition to the circular economy, the development of novel computational technologies, in our understanding of molecular biology, and in the advance of (nano)medicine. The Special Issue “Feature papers in Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology” will collect high-quality original research papers and comprehensive reviews on recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and application of novel advanced nanomaterials. Potentially interesting topics that are highly welcome include the following:

  • Dissipative self-assembly and active nanomaterials
  • Chiral nanomaterials
  • Quantum materials
  • Nanomedicine
  • Nanotechnology for catalysis
  • Nanotechnology in photonics
  • 1D and 2D nanomaterials
  • Novel liquid crystals and liquid crystal composites
  • Responsive and tuneable nanomaterials
  • Nanosensors and nanoactuators
  • Nanomaterials and environment
  • Emerging nanotechnologies

Manuscripts submitted to this Special Issue will be subjected to more stringent selection criteria to ensure the privileged position of accepted contributions. Those that fail to pass this selection will be considered for publication in Materials as regular contributions.

Prof. Dr. Andrei V. Petukhov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dissipative self-assembly
  • active nanomaterials
  • chirality
  • quantum dots
  • nanomedicine
  • catalysis
  • nanophotonics
  • low-dimensional nanomaterials
  • nanocomposites
  • nanosensors and nanoactuators
  • nanomaterials and environment

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 1714 KiB  
Article
Preparation, Characterization, and Performance of Natural Zeolites as Alternative Materials for Beer Filtration
by Oana Cadar, Irina Vagner, Ion Miu, Daniela Scurtu and Marin Senila
Materials 2023, 16(5), 1914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16051914 - 25 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
The clarity of the beer is essential to its marketability and good consumer approval. Moreover, the beer filtration aims to remove the unwanted constituents that cause beer haze formation. Natural zeolite, an inexpensive and widespread material, was tested as a substitute filter media [...] Read more.
The clarity of the beer is essential to its marketability and good consumer approval. Moreover, the beer filtration aims to remove the unwanted constituents that cause beer haze formation. Natural zeolite, an inexpensive and widespread material, was tested as a substitute filter media for diatomaceous earth in removing the haze constituents in beer. The zeolitic tuff samples were collected from two quarries in Northern Romania: Chilioara, in which the zeolitic tuff has a clinoptilolite content of about 65%, and the Valea Pomilor quarry, containing zeolitic tuff with a clinoptilolite content of about 40%. Two-grain sizes, <40 and <100 µm, from each quarry were prepared and thermally treated at 450 °C in order to improve their adsorption properties and remove organic compounds and for physico-chemical characterization. The prepared zeolites were used for beer filtration in different mixtures with commercial filter aids (DIF BO and CBL3) in laboratory-scale experiments, and the filtered beer was characterized in terms of pH, turbidity, color, taste, flavor, and concentrations of the major and trace elements. The results showed that the taste, flavor, and pH of the filtered beer were generally not affected by filtration, while turbidity and color decreased with an increase in the zeolite content used in the filtration. The concentrations of Na and Mg in the beer were not significantly altered by filtration; Ca and K slowly increased, while Cd and Co were below the limits of quantification. Our results show that natural zeolites are promising aids for beer filtration and can be readily substituted for diatomaceous earth without significant changes in brewery industry process equipment and protocols for preparation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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10 pages, 2290 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Prolonged High-Concentration Ozone Exposure on Superhydrophobic Coatings in Static and High-Speed Flow Atmospheres
by Alexander G. Domantovsky, Kirill A. Emelyanenko, Alexandre M. Emelyanenko and Ludmila B. Boinovich
Materials 2022, 15(16), 5725; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15165725 - 19 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1010
Abstract
The durability of superhydrophobic coatings under exposure to adverse factors that accompany their exploitation in natural and industrial environments remains a key problem in materials science. One such factor is a notable ozone concentration which can be generated as a result of corona [...] Read more.
The durability of superhydrophobic coatings under exposure to adverse factors that accompany their exploitation in natural and industrial environments remains a key problem in materials science. One such factor is a notable ozone concentration which can be generated as a result of corona discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, piezoelectric direct discharge, UV light photochemical processes, and others characteristic of the power industry. In this work, the mechanisms of degradation of the superhydrophobic coatings under prolonged exposure to high ozone concentrations at dynamic and nearly static conditions were studied. Our results indicate that in dynamic conditions, when the coatings are subjected to joint action of erosion loads initiated by the high-speed flow of the atmospheric air enriched with ozone, with ozone oxidation activity, the superhydrophobic state degrades quite rapidly. At the same time, in nearly static atmospheric conditions with the same ozone content, the degradation is substantially lower. Our study reveals the role of various factors such as the degradation of the layer of the hydrophobic agent, mechanical deterioration of texture, adsorption of ozone, and contact with water in the discovered behavior of the superhydrophobic coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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20 pages, 6091 KiB  
Article
Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) in Urea Solution in Laboratory Tests and Field Experiments with Crops and Vegetables
by Dariusz Jaskulski, Iwona Jaskulska, Joanna Majewska, Maja Radziemska, Ayla Bilgin and Martin Brtnicky
Materials 2022, 15(3), 870; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15030870 - 24 Jan 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3445
Abstract
Nanotechnology and nanomaterials, including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), are increasingly important in modern science, economics, and agriculture. Their biological activity involves influencing plant health, physiological processes, growth, and yields, although they can also be toxic in the environment. A new fertiliser was made based [...] Read more.
Nanotechnology and nanomaterials, including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), are increasingly important in modern science, economics, and agriculture. Their biological activity involves influencing plant health, physiological processes, growth, and yields, although they can also be toxic in the environment. A new fertiliser was made based on a urea solution with a relatively low content of AgNPs obtained by the reduction of silver nitrate V. Laboratory tests were used to assess the effect of a fertiliser solution containing 10 ppm AgNPs on the germination of agricultural plant seeds (barley, peas, oilseed rape) and vegetables (radish, cucumber, lettuce) and its foliar application on chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and seedling biomass. Field experiments were conducted to assess the effect that a foliar application of 15 ppm AgNPs in working liquid had on physiological plant parameters and yields of rape and cucumber. The AgNPs in the tested fertiliser reduced infestation of the germinating seeds by pathogens and positively affected the physiological processes, productivity, and yields of plants. Plant response depended on plant species and habitat conditions. Reduced pathogen infestation of seeds, higher germination energy, increased chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance, and higher seedling masses all occurred under the influence of AgNPs, mainly in oilseed rape and cucumber, and especially under thermal stress. The beneficial effect of AgNPs on the yield of these plants occurred in years of unfavourable weather conditions. The positive agricultural test results, especially under stress conditions, indicate that fertiliser produced with AgNPs as an ingredient may reduce the use of pesticides and highly concentrated mineral fertilisers. Such a fertiliser is fully in line with the idea of sustainable agriculture. However, research on the effects that AgNPs and fertiliser have on the environment and humans should continue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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14 pages, 7380 KiB  
Article
Plasma Treatment for Cellulose in Tobacco Paper-Base: The Improvement of Surface Hydrophilicity and Mechanical Property
by Zhao Zhang, Quan Shu, Shaolin Ge and Shouhu Xuan
Materials 2022, 15(2), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15020418 - 06 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1693
Abstract
This paper reports a plasma treatment (PT) method for improving the surface hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of cellulose in reconstituted tobacco paper-base. The absorption and infiltration rates of water droplets on PT-reconstituted tobacco paper-base-15 s were significantly accelerated. Notably, the increased content of [...] Read more.
This paper reports a plasma treatment (PT) method for improving the surface hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of cellulose in reconstituted tobacco paper-base. The absorption and infiltration rates of water droplets on PT-reconstituted tobacco paper-base-15 s were significantly accelerated. Notably, the increased content of methylene and alkyl groups enabled the tobacco paper-base to absorb more useful substrates in the tobacco extract after plasma treatment. In addition, the tensile mechanical performance of reconstituted tobacco was significantly improved after plasma treatment, which indicated that the content of organic matter absorbed by the tobacco paper-base sheet was increased. Moreover, tobacco extract infiltrated on the surface of PT-reconstituted tobacco paper-base reached 37.7° within 30 s, while it reached 79.9° on the reconstituted tobacco paper-base. Finally, the mechanism by which the surface hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of the cellulose in the tobacco paper-base were improved is discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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11 pages, 5245 KiB  
Article
Versatile Strategy for Electrophoretic Deposition of Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites
by Qinfu Zhao, Xinqian Liu, Stephen Veldhuis and Igor Zhitomirsky
Materials 2021, 14(24), 7902; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14247902 - 20 Dec 2021
Viewed by 1666
Abstract
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is an advanced functional polymer which exhibits excellent chemical and thermal stability, and good mechanical, piezoelectric and ferroelectic properties. This work opens a new strategy for the fabrication of nanocomposites, combining the functional properties of PVDF and advanced inorganic nanomaterials. [...] Read more.
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is an advanced functional polymer which exhibits excellent chemical and thermal stability, and good mechanical, piezoelectric and ferroelectic properties. This work opens a new strategy for the fabrication of nanocomposites, combining the functional properties of PVDF and advanced inorganic nanomaterials. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been developed for the fabrication of films containing PVDF and nanoparticles of TiO2, MnO2 and NiFe2O4. An important finding was the feasibility of EPD of electrically neutral PVDF and inorganic nanoparticles using caffeic acid (CA) and catechol violet (CV) as co-dispersants. The experiments revealed strong adsorption of CA and CV on PVDF and inorganic nanoparticles, which involved different mechanisms and facilitated particle dispersion, charging and deposition. The analysis of the deposition yield data, chemical structure of the dispersants and the microstructure and composition of the films provided an insight into the adsorption and dispersion mechanisms and the influence of deposition conditions on the deposition rate, film microstructure and composition. PVDF films provided the corrosion protection of stainless steel. Overcoming the limitations of other techniques, this investigation demonstrates a conceptually new approach for the fabrication of PVDF-NiFe2O4 films, which showed superparamagnetic properties. The approach developed in this investigation offers versatile strategies for the EPD of advanced organic-inorganic nanocomposites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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19 pages, 2888 KiB  
Article
An Experimental and Theoretical Determination of Oscillatory Shear-Induced Crystallization Processes in Viscoelastic Photonic Crystal Media
by Chris E. Finlayson, Giselle Rosetta and Jeremy J. Baumberg
Materials 2021, 14(18), 5298; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185298 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1835
Abstract
A study is presented of the oscillatory shear-ordering dynamics of viscoelastic photonic crystal media, using an optical shear cell. The hard-sphere/“sticky”-shell design of these polymeric composite particles produces athermal, quasi-solid rubbery media, with a characteristic viscoelastic ensemble response to applied shear. Monotonic crystallization [...] Read more.
A study is presented of the oscillatory shear-ordering dynamics of viscoelastic photonic crystal media, using an optical shear cell. The hard-sphere/“sticky”-shell design of these polymeric composite particles produces athermal, quasi-solid rubbery media, with a characteristic viscoelastic ensemble response to applied shear. Monotonic crystallization processes, as directly measured by the photonic stopband transmission, are tracked as a function of strain amplitude, oscillation frequency, and temperature. A complementary generic spatio-temporal model is developed of crystallization due to shear-dependent interlayer viscosity, giving propagating crystalline fronts with increasing applied strain, and a gradual transition from interparticle disorder to order. The introduction of a competing shear-induced flow degradation process, dependent on the global shear rate, gives solutions with both amplitude and frequency dependence. The extracted crystallization timescales show parametric trends which are in good qualitative agreement with experimental observations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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10 pages, 1946 KiB  
Article
Size Effects in Optical and Magneto-Optical Response of Opal-Cobalt Heterostructures
by Irina A. Kolmychek, Ksenia A. Lazareva, Evgeniy A. Mamonov, Evgenii V. Skorokhodov, Maksim V. Sapozhnikov, Valery G. Golubev and Tatiana V. Murzina
Materials 2021, 14(13), 3481; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14133481 - 22 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1634
Abstract
Search for new types of efficient magnetoplasmonic structures that combine high transparency with strong magneto-optical (MO) activity is an actual problem. Here, we demonstrate that composite heterostructures based on thin perfectly-arranged opal films and a perforated cobalt nanolayer meet these requirements. Anomalous transmission [...] Read more.
Search for new types of efficient magnetoplasmonic structures that combine high transparency with strong magneto-optical (MO) activity is an actual problem. Here, we demonstrate that composite heterostructures based on thin perfectly-arranged opal films and a perforated cobalt nanolayer meet these requirements. Anomalous transmission appears due to periodic perforation of Co consistent with the regular set of voids between opal spheres, while resonantly enhanced MO response involves the effects of surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) excitation at opal/Co interface or those associated with photonic band gap (PBG) in opal photonic crrystals. We observed the enhancement of the MO effect of up to 0.6% in the spectral vicinity of the SPP excitation, and several times less strong effect close to the PBG, while the combined appearance of PBG and SPP decreases the resultant MO response. Observed resonant magneto-optical properties of opal/Co heterostructures show that they can be treated as functional self-assembled magnetoplasmonic crystals with resonantly enhanced and controllable MO effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)
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