Rapid and reversible switching between superoleophobicity and superoleophilicity in response to counterion exchange

We use a simple layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly and counterion exchange technology to rapidly and reversibly manipulate the oleophobicity of the textured aluminum surfaces. Such textured surfaces can be produced by the HCl etching and boiling water treatment of the flat aluminum plates. The LbL deposition of polyelectrolytes is performed on these surfaces to generate the polyelectrolyte multilayer films. The films are able to coordinate with perfluorooctanoate anions, leading to the surfaces with different oleophobicity. The resulting surface produced by 1.5 cycles of polyelectrolyte deposition exhibits superoleophobicity by displaying contact angles greater than 150° with low surface tension liquids. Counterion exchange in this polyelectrolyte multilayer emerged easily to control the surface composition, which leads to tunable wettability that can be rapidly and reversibly switched between superoleophobicity and superoleophilicity.     

Maintaining hand and improving fire resistance of cotton fabric through ultrasonication rinsing of multilayer nanocoating

Thin films of environmentally benign polyelectrolytes, cationic chitosan (CH) and anionic poly(sodium phosphate) (PSP), were deposited on cotton fabric via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly to reduce flammability. This CH–PSP nanocoating promotes charring of the cotton, rendering the fabric self-extinguishing. The coated fabric was rinsed in an ultrasonication bath between deposition steps to improve the softness (i.e., hand) of the coated fabric. Ultrasonication is believed to remove weakly adhered polyelectrolyte, preventing the fabric from becoming stiff, while improving anti-flammable behavior at a given coating weight. At 17 bilayers, only 9.1 wt% was added to the cotton, yet the coated cotton consistently passed vertical flame testing. Electron microscopy provides evidence of intumescence and confirms the cleaner deposition afforded by ultrasonication. The reduction in peak heat release rate and total heat release, as measured by micro cone calorimetry, were 73 and 81 % respectively, which is a new benchmark in LbL flame retardant coating on cotton. The mechanical properties of the fabric were measured using the Kawabata evaluation system, which showed that ultrasonication rinsing significantly improved the hand. The ability to render cotton fabric self-extinguishing, while maintaining a soft hand, marks a major milestone in the development of these environmentally-benign nanocoatings.     

一种评估阳离子交换吸附活化能的方法

Ion exchange adsorption is an important physicochemical process at solid/liquid interfaces. In this study, an approach was established to estimate the activation energy of cation exchange reaction on the charged surface, considering Hofmeister effects. The experimental results showed that Hofmeister effects strongly affect the ionic adsorption equilibrium on the charged particle surface. The position of the adsorbed counterion in the diffuse layer was predicted according to the established model, and the ion exchange activation energies for different bivalent cations were estimated via the cation exchange experiments. The activation energy decreases with increasing ion concentration, and the adsorption saturation of cations is a function of the activation energy at different concentrations. The established model of cation exchange adsorption in the present study has universal applicability in solid/liquid interface reactions.     

Asymmetrically superhydrophobic cotton fabrics fabricated by mist polymerization of lauryl methacrylate

A graft-polymerization process with atomized lauryl methacrylate as monomer is used to fabricate fluorine-less and asymmetrically superhydrophobic cotton fabrics. The polymers synthesized in the process can form nanoscale hierarchical structures on the cotton surface, and the surface morphology can be controlled by choosing a suitable solvent or by varying the feeding quantity of the monomer mist stream. After applying the surface modification to cotton fabrics, an asymmetrically superhydrophobic surface is achieved without any additional nanosized particles, and the solvent damages on the cotton fabrics are controllable at a very low level. Surface characterization reveals that the modified side of the cotton fabric has laundering-durable and mechanically stable superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of more than 150°, whereas the opposite inherits the hydrophilic property of pristine cotton fabric. The modified cotton fabrics are found to have medium-level water-absorbing ability between pristine cotton and PET fabrics, as well as good vapor transmissibility similar to pristine cotton fabric. These properties are of great significance in textile and medical applications.     

Growth and fire resistance of colloidal silica-polyelectrolyte thin film assemblies

Thin films of colloidal silica were deposited on cotton fibers via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly in an effort to reduce the flammability of cotton fabric. Negatively charged silica nanoparticles of two different sizes (8 and 27 nm) were paired with either positively charged silica (12 nm) or cationic polyethylenimine (PEI). PEI/silica films were thicker due to better (more uniform) deposition of silica particles that contributed to more than 90% of the film weight. Each coating was evaluated at 10 and 20 bilayers (BL). All coated fabrics retained their weave structure after being exposed to a vertical flame test, while uncoated cotton was completely destroyed. Micro combustion calorimetry confirmed that coated fabrics exhibited a reduced peak heat release rate, by as much as 20% relative to the uncoated control. The 10 BL PEI-8 nm silica recipe was the most effective because the coating is relatively thick and uniform relative to the other systems. Soaking cotton in basic water (pH 10) prior to deposition resulted in better assembly adhesion and flame-retardant behavior. These results demonstrate that LbL assembly is a useful technique for imparting flame retardant properties through conformal coating of complex substrates like cotton fabric.     

纳米二氧化钛负载棉织物的制备及性能

以棉织物为基体,通过紫外辐照和超声法将不同表面性质的TiO_2纳米粒子负载到棉织物上,制备自清洁材料.利用扫描电子显微镜、能谱分析、接触角、紫外-可见光谱及降解甲基橙溶液等手段分别对样品表面的结构形貌、元素分布、光催化活性、紫外屏蔽性能和耐久性等进行分析.结果表明,棉织物经紫外辐照后,TiO_2纳米粒子与其结合更牢固,耐久性更佳;TiO_2负载后的棉织物表现出超疏水性能及优异的光催化活性和紫外屏蔽性能;与未改性的TiO_2纳米粒子相比,由聚乙烯醇(PVA)改性的TiO_2纳米粒子制备的自清洁棉织物的可见光光催化活性更高,其可见光的光催化效率是前者的3.9倍.PVA改性的纳米TiO_2对290~400 nm范围内的紫外光有较好的吸收作用,其紫外屏蔽效果更佳.     

Self-doping of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata: mixed valence zwitterions

Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a promising paradigm for realizing molecular electronics. In molecular QCA, binary information is encoded in the distribution of intramolecular charge, and Coulomb interactions between neighboring molecules combine to create long-range correlations in charge distribution that can be exploited for signal transfer and computation. Appropriate mixed-valence species are promising candidates for single-molecule device operation. A complication arises because many mixed-valence compounds are ions and the associated counterions can potentially disrupt the correct flow of information through the circuit. We suggest a self-doping mechanism which incorporates the counterion covalently into the structure of a neutral molecular cell, thus producing a zwitterionic mixed-valence complex. The counterion is located at the geometrical center of the QCA molecule and bound to the working dots via covalent bonds, thus avoiding counterion effects that bias the system toward one binary information state or the other. We investigate the feasibility of using multiply charged anion (MCA) boron clusters, specifically closo-borate dianion, as building blocks. A first principle calculation shows that neutral, bistable, and switchable QCA molecules are possible. The self-doping mechanism is confirmed by molecular orbital analysis, which shows that MCA counterions can be stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged counterions and positively charged working dots.     

分子筛表面酸性对微波固相法制备ZnCl2/Y催化剂的影响

 采用XRD和原子吸收光谱法研究了微波作用下分子筛表面酸性对ZnCl2与Y分子筛固态相互作用的影响．结果表明，微波辐射可显著促进ZnCl2在分子筛表面分散，其分散阈值与分子筛表面酸性有关．随着分子筛表面酸量和酸强度增加，ZnCl2在分子筛表面的最大分散量减少，分散的ZnCl2与Y分子筛的固态离子交换量也减少；NaY型分子筛比HY分子筛更容易发生固态离子交换反应．考察了微波固相法制备的ZnCl2／HY催化剂在苯甲醚与乙酰氯酰化反应中的催化性能．结果表明，在分子筛表面分散的ZnCl2具有更高的催化活性及对甲氧基苯乙酮选择性．     

表面化学接枝改性阻燃棉织物的制备与性能

采用高碘酸钠对棉织物表面进行选择性氧化生成醛基,选取乙二胺与醛基反应,通过膦氢化加成反应将阻燃剂亚磷酸二甲酯接枝到棉织物表面,最后通过三羟甲基三聚氰胺对棉织物表面进行接枝改性,制备了含三羟甲基三聚氰胺/乙二胺/亚磷酸二甲酯阻燃棉织物.通过傅里叶红外光谱（FTIR）对改性后棉织物的结构进行了表征,通过极限氧指数（LOI）测试研究了其阻燃性能,通过锥形量热测试研究了其燃烧行为,通过在40℃皂水中洗涤10次考察了其耐水性能,通过扫描电子显微镜测试了其表面及燃烧后炭层的形貌.研究结果表明,经表面改性后,棉织物的LOI值由（19.5±1.0）%提高到了（43.1±1.0）%,经耐水洗测试后,LOI值仅下降至（42.6±1.0）%,保持了非常好的阻燃性能,表明通过表面接枝方法制备的三羟甲基三聚氰胺/乙二胺/亚磷酸二甲酯阻燃棉织物具有非常好的耐水洗性能.表面阻燃改性提高了棉织物在燃烧过程中的成炭性能,形成的连续膨胀的炭层较好地保护了内部织物,抑制了织物的降解和燃烧,从而提高了棉织物的阻燃性能.     

Superhydrophobic properties of cotton woven fabrics with conducting 3D networks of multiwall carbon nanotubes,MWCNTs

This article presents the findings concerning the preparation and properties of cotton woven fabrics with a conductive network made of multiwall carbon nanotubes deposited on the fiber surface by the padding method. The next stage of treatment consisted of imparting superhydrophobic properties to the fabrics in solution with methyltrichlorosilane (MTCS) in a waterless medium. The tests performed show that the state of surface and water content in cotton fibers exerts a significant influence on the hydrophobic properties of the analyzed samples. In order to explain the differences in hydrophobic properties, the morphology of the cotton fabric surface was examined using samples with various water contents. The formation mechanism of MTCS coatings on cotton fabric has been proposed.     

用于油/水分离的环保无氟超疏水织物的制备与性能

针对目前用于油/水分离的超疏水材料普遍存在的原料不环保、不可降解、涂层耐久性差等缺点,采用简便的浸渍法,制备了一种环保、工艺简单且性能优良的超疏水材料。首先,使用水性聚氨酯（WPU）将聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯-甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯P（MMA-r-GMA）微球固定在棉织物表面,构造微纳米级粗糙结构。其次,通过水解-缩合反应,将无毒的十六烷基三甲氧基硅烷（HDTMS）与甲基三乙氧基硅烷（MTES）锚定在棉织物表面,制备得到超疏水棉织物。结果表明,改性棉织物接触角最高可达157.3（°）,滚动角为5（°）。同时具有很好的耐溶剂性,在酸碱溶液中浸泡30 min后,接触角几乎无变化。油水分离效率最高可达97.8%,即使在经过10次循环分离之后,油水分离效率仍然在95%以上。该超疏水织物具有出色的油水分离效率和优良的稳定性,可用于可持续且环保的油水分离领域。     

自支撑柔性氮掺杂碳织物电极的制备与性能研究

本文以纯棉织物为基底,吡咯单体为氮源,采用简单的原位聚合-高温煅烧的方法制备了自支撑柔性氮掺杂织物（N-CT）. 利用傅立叶红外技术、X射线光电子能谱、比表面积测试、扫描电子显微镜对所得产物进行结构与形貌表征. 结果表明,碳化后聚吡咯主要以纳米碳球包覆在碳织物表面,N-CT电极的比表面积为495.0 m²·g^-1,其含氮量为2.26%. 电化学测试表明,在0.5 A·g^-1的电流密度下N-CT电极的比电容器为256.2 F·g^-1,经过5000次的恒流充放电循环后电容保持率为98.3%,库伦效率保持率在98.8%左右,具有良好的柔性和机械性能.     

Preparation of durable superhydrophobic surface by sol–gel method with water glass and citric acid

Durable superhydrophobic surface on cotton fabrics has been successfully prepared by sol–gel method. Cellulose fabric was first coated with silica sol prepared with water glass and citric acid as the acidic catalyst. The silica coated fabric was then padded with hydrolyzed hexadecyltrimethoxysilane afterwards obtaining low surface energy. Water contact angle and hydrostatic pressure were used to characterize superhydrophobicity and washing durability. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the surface morphology changes after certain washing times. All results showed good durable hydrophobicity on cellulose fabrics. In addition, the influence of citric acid and sodium hypophosphite (NaH₂PO₂) on the durability of hydrophobicity was also investigated. The durability of treated cotton improved with the increase of concentration of citric acid in the presence of NaH₂PO₂. It could be concluded that citric acid acted as multi-functional heterogeneous grafting chemicals to improve washing durability of hydrophobicity by forming the ester bonds between cotton fabric and silica sol and improved the durability of hydrophobicity.     

Electrostatic‐Driven Dynamic Jamming of 2D Nanoparticles at Interfaces for Controlled Molecular Diffusion

Dynamically engineering the interfacial interaction of nanoparticles has emerged as a new approach for bottom‐up fabrication of smart systems to tailor molecular diffusion and controlled release. Janus zwitterionic nanoplates are reported that can be switched between a locked and unlocked state at interfaces upon changing surface charge, allowing manipulation of interfacial properties in a fast, flexible, and switchable manner. Combining experimental and modeling studies, an unambiguous correlation is established among the electrostatic energy, the interface geometry, and the interfacial jamming states. As a proof‐of‐concept, the well‐controlled interfacial jamming of nanoplates enabled the switchable molecular diffusion through liquid–liquid interfaces, confirming the feasibility of using nanoparticle‐based surfactants for advanced controlled release.     

表面印迹交替层状组装薄膜

在简要概述非常规交替层状组装这一进展后,重点总结了如何利用非常规交替层状组装以实现表面印迹膜的制备.模板分子与聚电解质在溶液中组装形成超分子复合物,然后以此超分子复合物为构筑基元,与感光性高分子,如重氮树脂,通过常规交替层状组装形成聚合物多层膜.利用聚合物多层膜之间的光化学反应形成稳定的多层膜,然后去除模板分子得到分子...     

X-ray reflectivity measurements of layer-by-layer films at the solid/liquid interface

In this Letter, we present a method for the decoration of layer-by-layer (LbL) structures by heavy metal ions, which allows X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements at the solid/water interface. The improved contrast has allowed us to obtain well-structured X-ray reflectivity curves from samples at the liquid/solid interface that can be used for the film structure modeling. The developed technique was also used to follow the formation of complexes between DNA and the LbL multilayer. The XRR data are confirmed by independent null-ellipsometric measurements at the solid/liquid interface on the very same architectures.     

Reversible Layer‐by‐Layer Deposition on Solid Substrates Inspired by Mussel Byssus Cuticle

The protective coating on mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) byssus has attracted considerable research interest because of its excellent mechanical properties such as hardness and extensibility. These special properties are known to be highly related with specific interactions between mussel foot protein‐1 and metal ions. In particular, the complexation between catechols in mfp‐1 and iron(III) has been identified as a key interaction. This finding has given opportunities for pursuing promising applications. Herein, we report that emulating the properties of the mussel byssus cuticle provides an important platform for developing reversible layer‐by‐layer (LbL) deposition, an advanced technique for surface modification. LbL films were constructed on solid substrates by sequential immersion of substrates into solutions containing iron(III) and catecholic compounds. The thickness of the LbL films was effectively controlled by increasing the immersion steps, and the reversibility of the LbL deposition was demonstrated by addition of a chelating agent.     

In-situ growth of silica nanoparticles on cellulose and application of hierarchical structure in biomimetic hydrophobicity

Monodispersed silica nanoparticles were prepared by a simple two-step method with hydrolysis and condensation. The materials were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), SEM and TEM. Through in-situ growth of silica nanoparticles on cotton fabrics, a dual-scaled surface with nanoscaled roughness of silica and microscaled roughness of cellulose fiber was generated. After the modification of the low surface energy, the wettability of smooth silicon slide, silicon slide with nanoscaled roughness of silica particles, cotton fabric, and cotton fabric with silica particles was evaluated by the tests of the contact angle (CA) and the advancing and receding contact angle (ARCA). The cotton fabric with dual-scaled roughness exhibits a static CA of 149.8° for 4 μL water droplet and a hysteresis contact angle (HCA) of 1.8°. The results of CA and HCA show that microscaled roughness plays a more important role than nanoscaled roughness for the value of CA and HCA. The results in the hydrostatic pressure test and the rain test show the important contribution of nanoscaled roughness for hydrophobicity.     

Block copolymer micelles as switchable templates for nanofabrication

Block copolymer inverse micelles from polystyrene-block-poly-2-vinylpyridine (PS-b-P2VP) deposited as monolayer films onto surfaces show responsive behavior and are reversibly switchable between two states of different topography and surface chemistry. The as-coated films are in the form of arrays of nanoscale bumps, which can be transformed into arrays of nanoscale holes by switching through exposure to methanol. The use of these micellar films to act as switchable etch masks for the structuring of the underlying material to form either pillars or holes depending on the switching state is demonstrated.     

Rapid and Efficient Separation of Oil from Oil‐in‐Water Emulsions Using a Janus Cotton Fabric

A novel bi‐functional Janus cotton fabric is used to separate oil from oil‐in‐water emulsions. This fabric is superhydrophobic on one surface and polyamine‐bearing on the other. When used as a filter, the polyamine‐bearing side causes the micrometer‐sized oil droplets to coalesce. The coalesced oil then fills fabric pores on the superhydrophobic side and selectively permeates it. Oil separation using this method is rapid and the separated oil is pure. Furthermore, the content of the model oil hexadecane (HD) in water after a separation can be reduced to less than 0.03±0.03 vol %. These features demonstrate the practical potential of this technology.