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Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications
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Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 22970

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Valentin Raditoiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Functional Dyes and Related Materials, National Institute for Research and Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: hybrid materials; functional dyes; daylight photocatalytic systems; photo- and thermochromic materials; sol–gel processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to inform you that a Special Issue on Nano-Composite Coatings has been launched to collect recent works, to disseminate original, theoretical, and applied scientific research in the field of nanocomposite coatings. On this basis I would like to invite you to submit your work to be published in this Special Issue.

In recent years, interest in nanocomposite coatings has been increasing due to their applications in many strategic industries, such as food and health, automotive, aerospace, construction, textile, and solar and wind energy production. The unique physical and functional properties of nanocomposite coatings are mostly attributed to the improved morphology with nanoscale phase-separated domains and depend on several factors, including the individual components, dispersion, morphology and shape, surface functionalization, interfacial interactions, and processing techniques. Nanocomposite coatings are engineered to provide attractive performance and cost-saving advantages, to enhance the physicochemical properties, which do not meet the rule of mixtures of component. These types of coatings allow surface functionalization that can improve product longevity by enhancing heat, wear, and scratch resistance, surface mechanical strength, and specific properties, such as antimicrobial, self-healing, flame retardant, and barrier properties.

Contributions that will be published in this Special Issue will cover various topics ranging from, but not limited to the following:

  • Preparative and processing techniques
  • Structure and morphology
  • Outstanding mechanical and/or thermal properties
  • Anticorrosion barrier effect
  • Customized adhesion and wettability properties
  • Fire-retardant coatings
  • Tailored optical properties
  • Photoactive systems
  • Self-healing and self-lubricating coatings
  • Bioactive and drug delivery systems

Dr. Valentin Raditoiu
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

  • nano coatings
  • surface functionalization
  • organic–inorganic hybrids
  • processing techniques
  • coatings characterization

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4384 KiB  
Article
Highlighting Bacteria with Calcifying Abilities Suitable to Improve Mortar Properties
by Iuliana Răut, Mariana Constantin, Ionela Petre, Monica Raduly, Nicoleta Radu, Ana-Maria Gurban, Mihaela Doni, Elvira Alexandrescu, Cristi-Andi Nicolae and Luiza Jecu
Materials 2022, 15(20), 7259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207259 - 17 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1762
Abstract
Biomineralization, the use of microorganisms to produce calcium carbonate, became a green solution for application in construction materials to improve their strength and durability. The calcifying abilities of several bacteria were investigated by culturing on a medium with urea and calcium ions. The [...] Read more.
Biomineralization, the use of microorganisms to produce calcium carbonate, became a green solution for application in construction materials to improve their strength and durability. The calcifying abilities of several bacteria were investigated by culturing on a medium with urea and calcium ions. The characterization of the precipitates from bacterial cultures was performed using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The formation of carbonate crystals was demonstrated by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Water absorption and compressive strength measurements were applied to mortars embedded with sporal suspension. The efficiency of the supplementation of mortar mixtures with bacterial cells was evaluated by properties, namely the compressive strength and the water absorption, which are in a relationship of direct dependence, the increase in compressive strength implying the decrease in water absorption. The results showed that Bacillus subtilis was the best-performing bacterium, its introduction into the mortar producing an increase in compressive strength by 11.81% and 9.50%, and a decrease in water absorption by 11.79% and 10.94%, after 28 and 56 days of curing, respectively, as compared to standards. The exploitation of B. subtilis as a calcifying agent can be an interesting prospect in construction materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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18 pages, 6379 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Properties of Curcumin Derivatives in Relation to the Architecture of the Siloxane Host Matrices
by Florentina Monica Raduly, Valentin Rădiţoiu, Alina Rădiţoiu, Adriana Nicoleta Frone, Cristian Andi Nicolae, Violeta Purcar, Georgiana Ispas, Mariana Constantin and Iuliana Răut
Materials 2022, 15(1), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010267 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1627
Abstract
Research in the field of natural dyes has constantly focused on methods of conditioning curcumin and diversifying their fields of use. In this study, hybrid materials were obtained from modified silica structures, as host matrices, in which curcumin dyes were embedded. The influence [...] Read more.
Research in the field of natural dyes has constantly focused on methods of conditioning curcumin and diversifying their fields of use. In this study, hybrid materials were obtained from modified silica structures, as host matrices, in which curcumin dyes were embedded. The influence of the silica network structure on the optical properties and the antimicrobial activity of the hybrid materials was monitored. By modifying the ratio between phenyltriethoxysilane:diphenyldimethoxysilane (PTES:DPDMES), it was possible to evaluate the influence the organosilane network modifiers had on the morphostructural characteristics of nanocomposites. The nanosols were obtained by the sol–gel method, in acid catalysis. The nanocomposites obtained were deposited as films on a glass support and showed a transmittance value (T measured at 550 nm) of around 90% and reflectance of about 11%, comparable to the properties of the uncovered support. For the coatings deposited on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) films, these properties remained at average values of T550 = 85% and R550 = 11% without significantly modifying the optical properties of the support. The sequestration of the dye in silica networks reduced the antimicrobial activity of the nanocomposites obtained, by comparison to native dyes. Tests performed on Candida albicans fungi showed good results for the two curcumin derivatives embedded in silica networks (11–18 mm) by using the spot inoculation method; in comparison, the alcoholic dye solution has a spot diameter of 20–23 mm. In addition, hybrids with the CA derivative were the most effective (halo diameter of 17–18 mm) in inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, compared to the curcumin derivative in alcoholic solution (halo diameter of 21 mm). The results of the study showed that the presence of 20–40% by weight DPDMES in the composition of nanosols is the optimal range for obtaining hybrid films that host curcumin derivatives, with potential uses in the field of optical films or bioactive coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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28 pages, 7536 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Study on Light-Activated Antimicrobial Agents as Photocatalytic Method for Protection of Surfaces with Increased Risk of Infections
by Razvan Bucuresteanu, Lia-Mara Ditu, Monica Ionita, Ioan Calinescu, Valentin Raditoiu, Bogdan Cojocaru, Ludmila Otilia Cinteza, Carmen Curutiu, Alina Maria Holban, Marius Enachescu, Laura-Bianca Enache, Gabriel Mustatea, Viorel Chihaia, Adela Nicolaev, Elena-Larisa Borcan and Grigore Mihaescu
Materials 2021, 14(18), 5307; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185307 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3237
Abstract
Preventing and controlling the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria implicated in healthcare-associated infections is the greatest challenge of the health systems. In recent decades, research has shown the need for passive antibacterial protection of surfaces in order to reduce the microbial load and [...] Read more.
Preventing and controlling the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria implicated in healthcare-associated infections is the greatest challenge of the health systems. In recent decades, research has shown the need for passive antibacterial protection of surfaces in order to reduce the microbial load and microbial biofilm development, frequently associated with transmission of infections. The aim of the present study is to analyze the efficiency of photocatalytic antimicrobial protection methods of surfaces using the new photocatalytic paint activated by light in the visible spectrum. The new composition is characterized by a wide range of analytical methods, such as UV-VIS spectroscopy, electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity in the UV-A was compared with the one in the visible light spectrum using an internal method developed on the basis of DIN 52980: 2008-10 standard and ISO 10678—2010 standard. Migration of metal ions in the composition was tested based on SR EN1186-3: 2003 standard. The new photocatalytic antimicrobial method uses a type of photocatalytic paint that is active in the visible spectral range and generates reactive oxygen species with inhibitory effect against all tested microbial strains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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20 pages, 10301 KiB  
Article
Fungal Based Biopolymer Composites for Construction Materials
by Iuliana Răut, Mariana Călin, Zina Vuluga, Florin Oancea, Jenica Paceagiu, Nicoleta Radu, Mihaela Doni, Elvira Alexandrescu, Violeta Purcar, Ana-Maria Gurban, Ionela Petre and Luiza Jecu
Materials 2021, 14(11), 2906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14112906 - 28 May 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6350
Abstract
Environmental contamination, extensive exploitation of fuel sources and accessibility of natural renewable resources represent the premises for the development of composite biomaterials. These materials have controlled properties, being obtained through processes operated in mild conditions with low costs, and contributing to the valorization [...] Read more.
Environmental contamination, extensive exploitation of fuel sources and accessibility of natural renewable resources represent the premises for the development of composite biomaterials. These materials have controlled properties, being obtained through processes operated in mild conditions with low costs, and contributing to the valorization of byproducts from agriculture and industry fields. A novel board composite including lignocelullosic substrate as wheat straws, fungal mycelium and polypropylene embedded with bacterial spores was developed and investigated in the present study. The bacterial spores embedded in polymer were found to be viable even after heat exposure, helping to increase the compatibility of polymer with hydrophilic microorganisms. Fungal based biopolymer composite was obtained after cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum macromycetes on a mixture including wheat straws and polypropylene embedded with spores from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy images showed the fungal mycelium covering the substrates with a dense network of filaments. The resulted biomaterial is safe, inert, renewable, natural, biodegradable and it can be molded in the desired shape. The fungal biocomposite presented similar compressive strength and improved thermal insulation capacity compared to polystyrene with high potential to be used as thermal insulation material for applications in construction sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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13 pages, 7154 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Silica Nanoparticles and of Silica-Gentamicin Nanostructured Solution Obtained by Microwave-Assisted Synthesis
by Violeta Purcar, Valentin Rădiţoiu, Cornelia Nichita, Adriana Bălan, Alina Rădiţoiu, Simona Căprărescu, Florentina Monica Raduly, Raluca Manea, Raluca Şomoghi, Cristian-Andi Nicolae, Iuliana Raut and Luiza Jecu
Materials 2021, 14(8), 2086; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14082086 - 20 Apr 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3154
Abstract
In this research work, silica nanoparticles and silica-gentamicin nanostructured solution were synthesized by using the microwave-assisted synthesis, in basic medium, using two silane precursors (tetraethylorthosilicate and octyltriethoxysilane) and the antibiotic (gentamicin sulfate). The prepared materials were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, [...] Read more.
In this research work, silica nanoparticles and silica-gentamicin nanostructured solution were synthesized by using the microwave-assisted synthesis, in basic medium, using two silane precursors (tetraethylorthosilicate and octyltriethoxysilane) and the antibiotic (gentamicin sulfate). The prepared materials were characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, TGA analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the morphology and structure. Antimicrobial studies of the silica-gentamicin nanostructured solution versus silica nanoparticles were performed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. FTIR spectra showed that the gentamicin has been loaded to the silica nanoparticles. AFM analysis showed that the morphology of the silica-gentamicin nanostructured solution has changed, and agglomerations of particles are present at the surface. Antimicrobial testing, performed using the diffusion method through spot inoculation, indicates that the silica-gentamicin nanostructured solution exhibited activity against the resistant strain. The obtained silica-gentamicin solution can be used as biochemical agent for the prevention and treatment of microorganisms which are deposited on different surfaces (e.g., glass, plastic, ceramic). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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10 pages, 7054 KiB  
Article
Environmentally-Benign Phytic Acid-Based Multilayer Coating for Flame Retardant Cotton
by Eva Magovac, Igor Jordanov, Jaime C. Grunlan and Sandra Bischof
Materials 2020, 13(23), 5492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13235492 - 02 Dec 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 2614
Abstract
Chemically bleached cotton fabric was treated with phytic acid (PA), chitosan (CH) and urea by means of layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition to impart flame retardant (FR) behavior using only benign and renewable molecules. Samples were treated with 8, 10, 12 and 15 bilayers (BL) [...] Read more.
Chemically bleached cotton fabric was treated with phytic acid (PA), chitosan (CH) and urea by means of layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition to impart flame retardant (FR) behavior using only benign and renewable molecules. Samples were treated with 8, 10, 12 and 15 bilayers (BL) of anionic PA and cationic CH, with urea mixed into the aqueous CH solution. Flammability was evaluated by measuring limiting oxygen index (LOI) and through vertical flame testing. LOI values are comparable to those obtained with commercial flame-retardant finishes, and applying 10 or more bilayers renders cotton self-extinguishing and able to pass the vertical flame test. Microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) measurements show the average reduction of peak heat release rate (pHRR) of all treated fabrics of ~61% and the reduction of total heat release (THR) of ~74%, in comparison to untreated cotton. Decomposition temperatures peaks (T1max) measured by thermogravimetric analyzer (TG) decreased by approximately 62 °C, while an average residue at 650 °C is ~21% for 10 and more bilayers. Images of post-burn char indicate that PA/CH-urea treatment is intumescent. The ability to deposit such a safe and effective FR treatment, with relatively few layers, makes LbL an alternative to current commercial treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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19 pages, 4289 KiB  
Article
Iron Oxide/Phosphatic Materials Composites with Potential Applications in Environmental Protection
by Georgiana Cornelia Ispas, Raluca Manea, Roxana Ioana Brazdis, Anda Maria Baroi, Toma Fistos, Radu Claudiu Fierascu and Monica Florentina Raduly
Materials 2020, 13(21), 5034; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13215034 - 08 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2799
Abstract
Currently, hydroxyapatite is probably the most researched material, due to its multiple applications in medical, environmental, or cultural heritage, when the classical structure is modified and calcium is displaced partially or totally with different metals. By changing the classical structure of the hydroxyapatite, [...] Read more.
Currently, hydroxyapatite is probably the most researched material, due to its multiple applications in medical, environmental, or cultural heritage, when the classical structure is modified and calcium is displaced partially or totally with different metals. By changing the classical structure of the hydroxyapatite, new morphologies can be obtained, thus allowing final applications different from those of the initial hydroxyapatite material. However, their properties should be tuned for the desired application. In this context, the present paper describes the synthesis and characterization (through energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, thermal analysis, and transmission electron microscopy) of iron oxide/manganese-containing phosphatic phase composite materials, developed in order to obtain the enhancement of final environmental applications (photodegradation of dyes, adsorption of organic compounds). The composite material was tested for photocatalytic properties, after embedding in hydrosoluble film-forming materials. Photocatalytic coatings show different activity during the photodecomposition of Methylene Blue, used as a model of a contaminant. The photocatalytic activities of the materials were discussed in relationship with both the phosphatic materials and the magnetic components. Finally, other environmental applications were studied for the developed materials (adsorption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—paracetamol and ibuprofen), revealing an enhancement of the adsorption capacity of the phosphatic material upon addition of the magnetic phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano-Composite Coatings: Processing, Characterization, Properties, and Applications)
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