Preparation and mechanical properties of poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate) modified nano-silica reinforced polyurea composites

To improve the mechanical properties of polyaspartate polyurea (PAEP), functionalized nano-silica reinforced polyurea composites were prepared. The original nano-silica (O-SiO₂) was treated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and the amino group at the end of APTES was used as the initiation site to realize the coating modification of poly(γ-benzyl l -glutamate) (PBLG) onto O-SiO₂. The dispersion, wettability, and interfacial properties of functionalized nano-silica (PBLG-SiO₂) in PAEP were analyzed. The tensile and tear properties of PBLG-SiO₂/PAEP composites were tested, and the reinforcement mechanism was revealed. The results showed the dispersibility of PBLG-SiO₂ in PAEP had been improved markedly. The contact angle of PBLG-SiO₂ with PAEP was 29.31°, which was significantly lower than that of O-SiO₂ (76.48°). The adhesion work between PBLG-SiO₂ and PAEP was 97.16 mJ/m², an increase of 51.7% compared with O-SiO₂. When the content of PBLG-SiO₂ was 2 phr, the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and tear strength of PAEP composites reached the maximum of 17.43 MPa, 157.12 MPa, and 127.38 N/mm, an increase of 33.6%, 77.9%, and 71.3%, respectively, compared with pure PAEP. The analysis of cross-section showed that the strengthening mechanism of PBLG-SiO₂ on PAEP was mainly manifested by non-planar cracks, deflection and bifurcation of cracks, and plastic deformation of PAEP matrix caused by peeling of PBLG-SiO₂ from matrix.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate)-Assisted Exfoliation of Graphite and Its Use in Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Composites

One of the applications of graphene in which its scalable production is of utmost importance is the development of polymer composites. Among the techniques used to produce graphene flakes, the liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) of graphite stands out due to its versatility and scalability. However, solvents suitable for the LPE process are generally toxic and have a high boiling point, making the processing challenging. The use of low boiling point solvents could be convenient for the processing, due to the easiness of their removal. In this study, the use of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a stabilizing agent is proposed for the production of graphene flakes in a low boiling point solvent, that is, acetone. The graphene dispersions produced in the mixture acetone-PMMA have higher concentration, +175 %, and contain a higher percentage of few-layer graphene flakes (<5 layers), that is, +60 %, compared to the dispersions prepared in acetone. The as-produced graphene dispersions are used to develop graphene/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene composites. The mechanical properties of the pristine polymer are improved, that is, +22 % in the Young's modulus, by adding 0.01 wt. % of graphene flakes. Moreover, a decrease of ≈20 % in the oxygen permeability is obtained by using 0.1 wt. % of graphene flakes filler, compared to the unloaded matrix.     

Recent Progress in Organic–Inorganic Composite Solid Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Conventional lithium-ion batteries, with flammable organic liquid electrolytes, have serious safety problems, which greatly limit their application. All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) have received extensive attention from large-scale energy-storage fields, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and intelligent power grids, due to their benefits in safety, energy density, and thermostability. As the key component of ASSBs, solid electrolytes determine the properties of ASSBs. In past decades, various kinds of solid electrolytes, such as polymers and inorganic electrolytes, have been explored. Among these candidates, organic–inorganic composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) that integrate the advantages of these two different electrolytes have been regarded as promising electrolytes for high-performance ASSBs, and extensive studies have been carried out. Herein, recent progress in organic–inorganic CSEs is summarized in terms of the inorganic component, electrochemical performance, effects of the inorganic ceramic nanostructure, and ionic conducting mechanism. Finally, the main challenges and perspectives of organic–inorganic CSEs are highlighted for future development.     

Immobilization of Ethynyl-π-Extended Electron Acceptors with Amino-Terminated SAMs by Catalyst-Free Click Reaction

Surface modification of SiO₂ using a catalyst-free quantitative reaction between an amine and an ethynyl-π-extended naphthalenediimide was investigated. A post-reaction method, in which the catalyst-free reaction was performed at the surface after the formation of amino-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), resulted in dense, uniform modification of the SiO₂ surface with the naphthalenediimide molecules. Both X-ray reflectivity and angle-resolved X-ray photoemission spectroscopy showed consistent results for the layer thickness and density. In contrast, a pre-reaction method, in which an amino-silane and the ethynyl-π-extended naphthalenediimide reacted first and then formed a SAM, afforded a sparse SAM on the SiO₂ surface, probably due to the steric hindrance of the naphthalenediimide moieties. The in situ decoration of the SiO₂ surface by a catalyst-free quantitative reaction offers a facile route for modifying surface properties with various π-conjugated molecules suitable for many applications.     

SiO_x-based(0<x≤2) composites for lithium-ion batteries

Silicon(Si) materials as anode materials for applications in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) have received increasing attention.Among the Si materials,the electrochemical properties of SiO_x-based(0x≤2)composites are the most prominent.However,due to the cycling stability of SiO_x being far from practical,there are some problems,such as Iow initial coulombic efficiency(ICE),obvious volume expansion and poor conductivity.Researchers in various countries have optimized the electrochemical properties of SiO_x-based composites by means of pore formation,surface modification,and the choice of constituents.In this review,SiO_x-based composites are classified into three categories based on the valency of Si(SiO_2 composites,SiO composites and SiO_x(0x2) composites).The synthesis,morphologies and electrochemical properties of the SiO_x-based composites that are applied in LIB are discussed.Finally,the prope rties of several common SiO_x-based composites are briefly compared and the challenges faced by SiO_x-based composites are highlight.     

Photothermal microscopy applied to the study of polymer composites

It is proposed to transfer the capabilities of a high sensitivity photothermal technique, developed by the group and widely used in the study of thermal properties of ceramics, metals and glass, to the study of polymer composites. The technique uses a sensing beam for the measurement of the thermal response of the sample due to local effects induced by heating with a modulated pump laser. With a simple spatial sweep of the beams on the sample surface, information on a micrometric scale of the thermal diffusivity of the material, distribution of phases and pores is obtained. Post-process analysis allows calculating average values of relevant properties such as thermal diffusivity, degree of crystallinity and distribution of aggregates. These measurements are performed at low laser powers (of the order of micro watts) avoiding the damage of the studied samples and turning this technique into a powerful tool of non-destructive characterization.     

Effect of filler content on the stress relaxation behavior of fly ash/polyurea composites

In this study, fly ash/polyurea (FA/PU) composites of various fly ash volume fractions were fabricated. The time-domain stress relaxation behaviors of pure polyurea and the FA/PU composites were measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in tension mode at various temperatures. Both temperature and volume fraction of fly ash can affect the segmental motion of polyurea as well as the interaction between fly ash hollow spheres and polyurea matrix, which constitutes the intrinsic mechanism of stress relaxation. Master curves of relaxation modulus were constructed and compared for PU and FA/PU composites. A model was proposed to relate the relaxation modulus and volume fraction of fillers based on three-parameter fractional derivative model and Mori-Tanaka model. The numerical predictions obtained from the model are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Preparation,characterization, and binding profile of imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite for aluminum

Human body is greatly exposed to aluminum due to its high abundance in the environment. This nonessential metal is a threat to the patients of chronic renal disorders, as it is easily retained in their plasma and quickly accumulates in different tissues. Thus, there is great need to remove it from the aqueous environment. In this study, Al³⁺ imprinted semiinterpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN)-based cryogel composite was prepared and applied for the purification of environmental and drinking water samples from aluminum. Poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) discs were produced via cryogenic treatment and imprinted semi-IPN was introduced to the 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl acrylatemodified macroporous cryogel discs. The adsorption properties and selectivity of the aluminum (III) imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite were studied in detail. The imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite showed good selectivity towards aluminum (III) ions with the imprinting factor (IF) of 76.4 in the presence of competing copper (II), nickle (II), and iron (III) ions. The maximum adsorption capacity of 271 μmol g^-1 was obtained for aluminum (III) at pH 7.0 within 10 min using imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite. The good selectivity and reusability of aluminum (III)-imprinted semi-IPN cryogel composite makes this material an eligible candidate for the purification of drinking water from aluminum (III) leaving important minerals remained in the water.     

Crystallization properties and thermal stability of polypropylene composites filled with wollastonite

The influence of wollastonite (CaSiO₃) content on the crystallization properties and thermal stability of polypropylene (PP) composites was investigated. The results showed that the crystallization temperature, crystallization end temperature and crystallization temperature interval, as well as the degree of crystallinity of the composites, were higher than those of the unfilled PP resin, while the crystallization onset temperature was little changed from that of the unfilled PP resin. The increase of degree of crystallinity for the composites could be attributed to the heterogeneous nucleation of the CaSiO₃ in the PP matrix. The thermal stability increased with increasing filler weight fraction (ϕ_f); the thermal decomposition rate decreased nonlinearly with increasingϕ_f. Finally, the dispersion of the filler particles in the matrix was observed, and the mechanisms of thermal stability and crystallizing behavior were discussed.     

羟基磷灰石/碳纳米管复合材料的制备及表征

主要研究了原位合成法制备羟基磷灰石/碳纳米管复合材料过程中不同因素对最终产物的影响.研究发现浓硝酸氧化处理可以在碳纳米管表面缺陷处引入大量羧基与羟基,这些官能团一方面可以提高碳纳米管在水中的分散性,另一方面在溶液中可以吸附钙离子,进而原位合成复合材料.XRD分析表明pH值是复合材料制备过程中的关键因素,pH＞10时,复合材料中仅有碳纳米管和羟基磷灰石两种物相,其中纳米级的短棒状羟基磷灰石均匀吸附在碳纳米管表面,与之形成较强的界面结合;pH值小于8时,复合材料由层片状的CaHPO4·2H2O和CNTs构成.