Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (23 July 2023) | Viewed by 26960

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Department of Electronic Engineering, National Changhua University of Education, 2, Shih-Da Rd, Changhua City, Taiwan
Interests: nano-structured materials; optoelectronic materials and devices; surface and material analysis techniques and their novel applications
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Along with rapid development in nanotechnology, nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention due to their unique optical, electrical, thermal, and magnetic characteristics. In the past, research related to nanocomposites mainly focused on nano-scale polymers, ceramics, and metals. In recent years, the topics have been extended to semiconductors and 2D material systems. Since nanocomposite materials have advantages of their individual constituent materials and exhibit better properties under certain conditions than their individuals, controlling unique material properties of the nanocomposites through appropriate synthesis methods is quite important in this field. We would focus this Special Issue on all aspects of the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of all kinds of nanocomposites, suitable for a widespread range of applications, such as electronics and optoelectronics, recording media, MEMS/NEMS, biomedicine, environment, energy, etc. We welcome contributions studying topics related to the synthesis, characteristics, and applications of nanocomposites to pave the way for multifaceted prospects of nanocomposites.

Prof. Dr. Tsung-Shine Ko
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Nanocomposites
  • Nanostructures
  • Characterization
  • Functionalization
  • Nano-effects
  • Advanced applications

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 5207 KiB  
Article
Polycrystalline Transparent Al-Doped ZnO Thin Films for Photosensitivity and Optoelectronic Applications
by Victor V. Petrov, Irina O. Ignatieva, Maria G. Volkova, Irina A. Gulyaeva, Ilya V. Pankov and Ekaterina M. Bayan
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(16), 2348; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13162348 - 16 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1257
Abstract
Thin nanocrystalline transparent Al-doped ZnO (1–10 at.% Al) films were synthesized by solid-phase pyrolysis at 700 °C. Synthesized Al-doped ZnO films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). All obtained materials were crystallized into the wurtzite structure, [...] Read more.
Thin nanocrystalline transparent Al-doped ZnO (1–10 at.% Al) films were synthesized by solid-phase pyrolysis at 700 °C. Synthesized Al-doped ZnO films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM). All obtained materials were crystallized into the wurtzite structure, which was confirmed by XRD. The material crystallinity decreases with the introduction of aluminum. SEM and TEM showed that the films are continuous and have a uniform distribution of nanoparticles with an average size of 15–20 nm. TEM confirmed the production of Al-doped ZnO films. The transmittance of Al-doped ZnO films in the range of 400–1000 nm is more than 94%. The introduction of 1% Al into ZnO leads to a narrowing of the band gap compared to ZnO to a minimum value of 3.26 eV and a sharp decrease in the response time to the radiation exposure with a wavelength of 400 nm. An increase in aluminum concentration leads to a slight increase in the band gap, which is associated with the Burstein–Moss effect. The minimum response time (8 s) was shown for film containing 10% Al, which is explained by the shortest average lifetime of charge carriers (4 s). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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26 pages, 13128 KiB  
Article
From Waste to Added-Value Product: Synthesis of Highly Crystalline LTA Zeolite from Ore Mining Tailings
by Jhuliana Campoverde and Diana Guaya
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(8), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081295 - 07 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1348
Abstract
The use of wastes is necessary to contribute to environmental sustainability. In this study, ore mining tailings were used as the raw material and precursor for the synthesis of LTA zeolite, a value-added product. Pre-treated mining tailings were submitted to the synthesis stages [...] Read more.
The use of wastes is necessary to contribute to environmental sustainability. In this study, ore mining tailings were used as the raw material and precursor for the synthesis of LTA zeolite, a value-added product. Pre-treated mining tailings were submitted to the synthesis stages under specific established operational conditions. The physicochemical characterization of the synthesized products was performed with XRF, XRD, FTIR and SEM, to identify the most cost-effective synthesis condition. The LTA zeolite quantification and its crystallinity were determined as effects of the SiO2/Al2O3, Na2O/SiO2 and H2O/Na2O molar ratios used, as well as the influence of the synthesis conditions: mining tailing calcination temperature, homogenization, aging and hydrothermal treatment times. The zeolites obtained from the mining tailings were characterized by the LTA zeolite phase accompanied by sodalite. The calcination of mining tailings favored the production of LTA zeolite, and the influence of the molar ratios, aging and hydrothermal treatment times were determined. Highly crystalline LTA zeolite was obtained in the synthesized product at optimized conditions. Higher methylene blue adsorption capacity was associated with the highest crystallinity of synthesized LTA zeolite. The synthesized products were characterized by a well-defined cubic morphology of LTA zeolite and lepispheres of sodalite. The incorporation of lithium hydroxide nanoparticles over LTA zeolite synthesized (ZA-Li+) from mining tailings yielded a material with improved features. The adsorption capacity towards cationic dye was higher than for anionic dye, especially for methylene blue. The potential of using ZA-Li+ in environmental applications related to methylene blue deserves detailed study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 4559 KiB  
Article
Machine Learning Predicting Optimal Preparation of Silica-Coated Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Tumor Ablation
by Jintao Zhang, Jinchang Yin, Ruiran Lai, Yue Wang, Baorui Mao, Haonan Wu, Li Tian and Yuanzhi Shao
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(6), 1024; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13061024 - 12 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1794
Abstract
Gold nanorods (GNRs) coated with silica shells are excellent photothermal agents with high surface functionality and biocompatibility. Understanding the correlation of the coating process with both structure and property of silica-coated GNRs is crucial to their optimizing preparation and performance, as well as [...] Read more.
Gold nanorods (GNRs) coated with silica shells are excellent photothermal agents with high surface functionality and biocompatibility. Understanding the correlation of the coating process with both structure and property of silica-coated GNRs is crucial to their optimizing preparation and performance, as well as tailoring potential applications. Herein, we report a machine learning (ML) prediction of coating silica on GNR with various preparation parameters. A total of 306 sets of silica-coated GNRs altogether were prepared via a sol–gel method, and their structures were characterized to extract a dataset available for eight ML algorithms. Among these algorithms, the eXtreme gradient boosting (XGboost) classification model affords the highest prediction accuracy of over 91%. The derived feature importance scores and relevant decision trees are employed to address the optimal process to prepare well-structured silica-coated GNRs. The high-throughput predictions have been adopted to identify optimal process parameters for the successful preparation of dumbbell-structured silica-coated GNRs, which possess a superior performance to a conventional cylindrical core–shell counterpart. The dumbbell silica-coated GNRs demonstrate an efficient enhanced photothermal performance in vivo and in vitro, validated by both experiments and time domain finite difference calculations. This study epitomizes the potential of ML algorithms combined with experiments in predicting, optimizing, and accelerating the preparation of core–shell inorganic materials and can be extended to other nanomaterial research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 3245 KiB  
Article
Adsorption of Chromate Ions by Layered Double Hydroxide–Bentonite Nanocomposite for Groundwater Remediation
by Yoogyeong Kim, Yeongkyun Son, Sungjun Bae, Tae-Hyun Kim and Yuhoon Hwang
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(8), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12081384 - 18 Apr 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2188
Abstract
Herein, magnesium/aluminum-layered double hydroxide (MgAl-LDH) and bentonite (BT) nanocomposites (LDH–BT) were prepared by co-precipitation (CP), exfoliation–reassembly (ER), and simple solid-phase hybridization (SP). The prepared LDH–BT nanocomposites were preliminarily characterized by using powder X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and zeta-potentiometry. The chromate adsorption efficacies [...] Read more.
Herein, magnesium/aluminum-layered double hydroxide (MgAl-LDH) and bentonite (BT) nanocomposites (LDH–BT) were prepared by co-precipitation (CP), exfoliation–reassembly (ER), and simple solid-phase hybridization (SP). The prepared LDH–BT nanocomposites were preliminarily characterized by using powder X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and zeta-potentiometry. The chromate adsorption efficacies of the pristine materials (LDH and bentonite) and the as-prepared nanocomposites were investigated. Among the composites, the LDH–BT_SP was found to exhibit the highest chromate removal efficiency of 65.7%. The effect of varying the LDH amount in the LDH–BT composite was further investigated, and a positive relationship between the LDH ratio and chromate removal efficiency was identified. The chromate adsorption by the LDH–BT_SP was performed under various concentrations (isotherm) and contact times (kinetic). The results of the isotherm experiments were well fitted with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model and demonstrate multilayer chromate adsorption by the heterogeneous LDH–BT_SP, with a homogenous distribution of LDH nanoparticles. The mobility of the as-prepared LDH–BT_SP was investigated on a silica sand-filled column to demonstrate that the mobility of the bentonite is dramatically decreased after hybridization with LDH. Furthermore, when the LDH–BT_SP was injected into a box container filled with silica sand to simulate subsurface soil conditions, the chromate removal efficacy was around 43% in 170 min. Thus, it was confirmed that the LDH–BT prepared by solid-phase hybridization is a practical clay-based nanocomposite for in situ soil and groundwater remediation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 2995 KiB  
Article
Effect of Spatial Distribution of nZVI on the Corrosion of nZVI Composites and Its Subsequent Cr(VI) Removal from Water
by Yixuan Li, Shuangqiu Huang, Yaqin Song, Xinfang Zhang, Sijia Liu and Qiong Du
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12030494 - 30 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2224
Abstract
There have been many studies on contaminant removal by fresh and aged nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), but the effect of spatial distribution of nZVI on the corrosion behavior of the composite materials and its subsequent Cr(VI) removal remains unclear. In this study, four [...] Read more.
There have been many studies on contaminant removal by fresh and aged nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), but the effect of spatial distribution of nZVI on the corrosion behavior of the composite materials and its subsequent Cr(VI) removal remains unclear. In this study, four types of D201-nZVI composites with different nZVI distributions (named D1, D2, D3, and D4) were fabricated and pre-corroded in varying coexisting solutions. Their effectiveness in the removal of Cr(VI) were systematically investigated. The results showed acidic or alkaline conditions, and all coexisting ions studied except for H2PO4 and SiO32− enhanced the corrosion of nZVI. Additionally, the Cr(VI) removal efficiency was observed to decrease with increasing nZVI distribution uniformity. The corrosion products derived from nZVI, including magnetite, hematite, lepidocrcite, and goethite, were identified by XRD. The XPS results suggested that the Cr(VI) and Cr(III) species coexisted and the Cr(III) species gradually increased on the surface of the pre-corroded D201-nZVI with increasing iron distribution uniformity, proving Cr(VI) removal via a comprehensive process including adsorption/coprecipitation and reduction. The results will help to guide the selection for nZVI nanocomposites aged under different conditions for environmental decontamination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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13 pages, 3364 KiB  
Article
Highly Specific Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Using Graphene Oxide–Gold Nanoparticles Nanocomposite for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Detection
by Jong-Won Kim, Kyoung-Woo Park, Myeongkun Kim, Kyung Kwan Lee and Chang-Soo Lee
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(2), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12020264 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2026
Abstract
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a molecular diagnosis technology with the advantages of rapid results, isothermal reaction conditions, and high sensitivity. However, this diagnostic system often produces false positive results due to a high rate of non-specific reactions caused by formation of hairpin [...] Read more.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a molecular diagnosis technology with the advantages of rapid results, isothermal reaction conditions, and high sensitivity. However, this diagnostic system often produces false positive results due to a high rate of non-specific reactions caused by formation of hairpin structures, self-dimers, and mismatched hybridization. The non-specific signals can be due to primers used in the methods because the utilization of multiple LAMP primers increases the possibility of self-annealing of primers or mismatches between primers and templates. In this study, we report a nanomaterial-assisted LAMP method that uses a graphene oxide–gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@GO) nanocomposite to enable the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) with high sensitivity and specificity. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious and deadly disease in cloven-hoofed animals; hence, a rapid, sensitive, and specific detection method is necessary. The proposed approach exhibited high sensitivity and successful reduction of non-specific signals compared to the traditionally established LAMP assays. Additionally, a mechanism study revealed that these results arose from the adsorption of single-stranded DNA on AuNPs@GO nanocomposite. Thus, AuNPs@GO nanocomposite is demonstrated to be a promising additive in the LAMP system to achieve highly sensitive and specific detection of diverse diseases, including FMD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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8 pages, 2198 KiB  
Article
Ag Nanoparticle-Decorated Cu2S Nanosheets for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection and Photocatalytic Applications
by Osama Nasr, Jian-Ru Jiang, Wen-Shuo Chuang, Sheng-Wei Lee and Chih-Yen Chen
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2508; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102508 - 26 Sep 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2472
Abstract
In this article, we demonstrate a facile, rapid, and practical approach to growing high-quality Cu2S nanosheets decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) through the galvanic reduction method. The Ag/Cu2S nanosheets were efficiently applied to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and [...] Read more.
In this article, we demonstrate a facile, rapid, and practical approach to growing high-quality Cu2S nanosheets decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) through the galvanic reduction method. The Ag/Cu2S nanosheets were efficiently applied to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and photocatalytic degradation applications. The photodegradation of RhB dye with the Ag/Cu2S nanosheets composites occurred at a rate of 2.9 times faster than that observed with the undecorated Cu2S nanosheets. Furthermore, the Ag/Cu2S nanosheets displayed highly sensitive SERS detection of organic pollutant (R6G) as low as 10−9 M. The reproducibility experiments indicated that the Ag/Cu2S nanosheets composites could be used for dual functionality in a new generation of outstandingly sensitive SERS probes for detection and stable photocatalysts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 4768 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Antifungal Activity of Graphene Oxide and Fungicides against Fusarium Head Blight In Vitro and In Vivo
by Xiuping Wang, Fei Peng, Caihong Cheng, Lina Chen, Xuejuan Shi, Xiaoduo Gao and Jun Li
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(9), 2393; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11092393 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2748
Abstract
Plant pathogens constantly develop resistance to antimicrobial agents, and this poses great challenges to plant protection. Therefore, there is a pressing need to search for new antimicrobials. The combined use of antimicrobial agents with different antifungal mechanisms has been recognized as a promising [...] Read more.
Plant pathogens constantly develop resistance to antimicrobial agents, and this poses great challenges to plant protection. Therefore, there is a pressing need to search for new antimicrobials. The combined use of antimicrobial agents with different antifungal mechanisms has been recognized as a promising approach to manage plant diseases. Graphene oxide (GO) is a newly emerging and highly promising antimicrobial agent against various plant pathogens in agricultural science. In this study, the inhibitory activity of GO combined with fungicides (Mancozeb, Cyproconazol and Difenoconazole) against Fusarium graminearum was investigated in vivo and in vitro. The results revealed that the combination of GO and fungicides has significant synergistic inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth, mycelial biomass and spore germination of F. graminearum relative to single fungicides. The magnitude of synergy was found to depend on the ratio of GO and fungicide in the composite. In field tests, GO–fungicides could significantly reduce the disease incidence and disease severity, exhibiting a significantly improved control efficacy on F. graminearum. The strong synergistic activity of GO with existing fungicides demonstrates the great application potential of GO in pest management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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19 pages, 4009 KiB  
Article
Unravelling the Role of Synthesis Conditions on the Structure of Zinc Oxide-Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanofillers
by Zélia Alves, Cláudia Nunes and Paula Ferreira
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(8), 2149; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11082149 - 23 Aug 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2694
Abstract
The diversity of zinc oxide (ZnO) particles and derived composites applications is highly dependent on their structure, size, morphology, defect amounts, and/or presence of dopant molecules. In this work, ZnO nanostructures are grown in situ on graphene oxide (GO) sheets by an easily [...] Read more.
The diversity of zinc oxide (ZnO) particles and derived composites applications is highly dependent on their structure, size, morphology, defect amounts, and/or presence of dopant molecules. In this work, ZnO nanostructures are grown in situ on graphene oxide (GO) sheets by an easily implementable solvothermal method with simultaneous reduction of GO. The effect of two zinc precursors (zinc acetate (ZA) and zinc acetate dihydrate (ZAD)), NaOH concentration (0.5, 1 or 2 M), and concentration (1 and 12.5 mg/mL) and pH (pH = 1, 4, 8, and 12) of GO suspension were evaluated. While the ZnO particle morphology shows to be precursor dependent, the average particle size length decreases with lower NaOH concentration, as well as with the addition of a higher basicity and concentration of GO suspension. A lowered band gap and a higher specific surface area are obtained from the ZnO composites with higher amounts of GO suspension. Otherwise, the low concentration and the higher pH of GO suspension induce more lattice defects on the ZnO crystal structure. The role of the different condition parameters on the ZnO nanostructures and their interaction with graphene sheets was observed to tune the ZnO–rGO nanofiller properties for photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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14 pages, 3312 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of the Influence of Nitrogen Content and Structural Characteristics of NiS/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanocomposites on Capacitive Performances in Alkaline Medium
by Mohamed M. Abdelaal, Tzu-Cheng Hung, Saad Gomaa Mohamed, Chun-Chen Yang, Huei-Ping Huang and Tai-Feng Hung
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(7), 1867; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11071867 - 20 Jul 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2668
Abstract
Supercapacitors (SCs) have been regarded as alternative electrochemical energy storage devices; however, optimizing the electrode materials to further enhance their specific energy and retain their rate capability is highly essential. Herein, the influence of nitrogen content and structural characteristics (i.e., porous and non-porous) [...] Read more.
Supercapacitors (SCs) have been regarded as alternative electrochemical energy storage devices; however, optimizing the electrode materials to further enhance their specific energy and retain their rate capability is highly essential. Herein, the influence of nitrogen content and structural characteristics (i.e., porous and non-porous) of the NiS/nitrogen-doped carbon nanocomposites on their electrochemical performances in an alkaline electrolyte is explored. Due to their distinctive surface and the structural features of the porous carbon (A-PVP-NC), the as-synthesized NiS/A-PVP-NC nanocomposites not only reveal a high wettability with 6 M KOH electrolyte and less polarization but also exhibit remarkable rate capability (101 C/g at 1 A/g and 74 C/g at 10 A/g). Although non-porous carbon (PI-NC) possesses more nitrogen content than the A-PVP-NC, the specific capacity output from the latter at 10 A/g is 3.7 times higher than that of the NiS/PI-NC. Consequently, our findings suggest that the surface nature and porous architectures that exist in carbon materials would be significant factors affecting the electrochemical behavior of electrode materials compared to nitrogen content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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12 pages, 6895 KiB  
Article
Mode I Fracture Toughness of Graphene Reinforced Nanocomposite Film on Al Substrate
by Shiuh-Chuan Her and Kai-Chun Zhang
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(7), 1743; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11071743 - 01 Jul 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1913
Abstract
Nanocomposites were prepared by adding graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) into epoxy with a variety of loadings. The thickness of GNPs used in this study was in a range of 1 nm to 10 nm. Nanocomposite film was deposited on the aluminum (Al) substrate via [...] Read more.
Nanocomposites were prepared by adding graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) into epoxy with a variety of loadings. The thickness of GNPs used in this study was in a range of 1 nm to 10 nm. Nanocomposite film was deposited on the aluminum (Al) substrate via a spinning coating process. Tensile tests were carried out to determine the elastic modulus, ultimate strength and fracture strain of the nanocomposites. Theoretical prediction of the fracture toughness of the film/substrate composite structure with an interfacial crack under mode I loading was derived utilizing linear elastic fracture mechanics theory. Four-point bending tests were performed to evaluate the mode I fracture toughness. It was observed that the performance of the nanocomposite, such as elastic modulus, ultimate strength, and fracture toughness, were significantly enhanced by the incorporation of GNPs and increased with the increase in GNP concentration. The elastic modulus and mode I fracture toughness of the epoxy reinforced with 1 wt.% of GNPs were increased by 42.2% and 32.6%, respectively, in comparison with pure epoxy. Dispersion of GNPs in the epoxy matrix was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It can be seen that GNPs were uniformly dispersed in the epoxy matrix, resulting in the considerable improvements of the ultimate strength and fracture toughness of the nanocomposite. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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15 pages, 11969 KiB  
Article
Novel Three-Dimensional Graphene-Like Networks Loaded with Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for Efficient Microwave Absorption
by Tao Shang, Qingshan Lu, Jianjun Zhao, Luomeng Chao, Yanli Qin, Ningyu Ren, Yuehou Yun and Guohong Yun
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1444; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061444 - 29 May 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2367
Abstract
A novel three-dimensional graphene-like networks material (3D-GLN) exhibiting the hierarchical porous structure was fabricated with a large-scale preparation method by employing an ion exchange resin as a carbon precursor. 3D-GLN was first studied as the effective microwave absorbing material. As indicated from the [...] Read more.
A novel three-dimensional graphene-like networks material (3D-GLN) exhibiting the hierarchical porous structure was fabricated with a large-scale preparation method by employing an ion exchange resin as a carbon precursor. 3D-GLN was first studied as the effective microwave absorbing material. As indicated from the results of the electromagnetic parameter tests, and the minimum reflection loss (RL) of the 3D-GLN reached −34.75 dB at the frequency of 11.7 GHz. To enhance the absorption performance of the nonmagnetic 3D-GLN, the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of the 3D-GLN by using the hydrothermal method to develop the 3D-GLN/Fe3O4 hybrid. The hybrid exhibited the prominent absorbing properties. Under the matching thickness of 3.0 mm, the minimum RL value of hybrid reached −46.8 dB at 11.8 GHz. In addition, under the thickness range of 2.0–5.5 mm, the effective absorption bandwidth (RL < 10 dB) was 13.0 GHz, which covered part of the C-band and the entire X-band, as well as the entire Ku-band. The significant microwave absorption could be attributed to the special 3D network structure exhibited by the hybrid and the synergistic effect exerted by the graphene and the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. As revealed from the results, the 3D-GLN/Fe3O4 hybrid could be a novel microwave absorber with promising applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characteristics, and Applications of Nanocomposites)
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