Lattice engineering route for self-assembled nanohybrids of 2D layered double hydroxide with 0D isopolyoxovanadate: chemiresistive SO2 sensor

Tuning the interior chemical composition of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) via lattice engineering route is a unique approach to enable multifunctional applications of LDHs. In this regard, the exfoliated 2D LDH nanosheets coupled with various guest species lead to the lattice-engineered LDH-based multifunctional self-assembly with precisely tuned chemical composition. This article reports the synthesis and characterization of mesoporous zinc–chromium-LDH (ZC-LDH) hybridized with isopolyoxovanadate nanohybrids (ZCiV) via lattice-engineered self-assembly between delaminated ZC-LDH nanosheets and isopolyoxovanadate (iPOV) anions. Electrostatic self-assembly between 2D ZC-LDH monolayers and 0D iPOV significantly altered structural, morphological, and surface properties of ZC-LDH. The structural and morphological study demonstrated the formation of mesoporous interconnected sheet-like architectures composed of restacked ZCiV nanosheets with expanded surface area and interlayer spacing. In addition, the ZCiV nanohybrid resistive elements were used as a room-temperature gas sensor. The selectivity of ZCiV nanohybrid was tested for various oxidizing (SO₂, Cl₂, and NO₂) gases and reducing (LPG, CO, H₂, H₂S, and NH₃) gases. The optimized ZCiV nanohybrid demonstrated highly selective SO₂ detection with the maximum SO₂ response (72%), the fast response time (20 s), low detection limit (0.1 ppm), and long-term stability at room temperature (27 ± 2 °C). Of prime importance, ZCiV nanohybrids exhibited moderately affected SO₂ sensing responses with high relative humidity conditions (80%–95%). The outstanding SO₂ sensing performance of ZCiV is attributed to the active surface gas adsorptive sites via plenty of mesopores induced by a unique lattice-engineered interconnected sheet-like microstructure and expanded interlayer spacing.     

Silylation of sodium silicate-based silica aerogel using trimethylethoxysilane as alternative surface modification agent

Trimethylethoxysilane (TMES) has been recognized as a good co-precursor to increase the degree of hydrophobicity during the synthesis of a silica aerogel because of its methyl groups. Therefore, some physical properties of silica aerogels, including the contact angle and porosity, were investigated using TMES as a co-precursor at different molar ratios with the main precursor such as tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) or tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). In contrast to TMES, most silylating agents such as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ) and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) have been used for surface modification because of their ability to enhance the hydrophobicity of the aerogel surface. This work examines the silylation effect, which includes increasing hydrophobicity by TMES to determine the possibility of using it as an alternative silylating agent during ambient pressure drying in the synthesis of sodium silicate-based silica aerogel. In addition, the physical properties of sodium silicate-based silica aerogels with silylation under different TMES/TMCS volume ratio are investigated. The physical properties of sodium silicate-based aerogels can be changed by the TMES/TMCS volume ratio during the surface modification step. Aerogels with a high specific surface area (458?m²/g), pore volume (3.215?cm³/g), porosity (92.7%), and contact angle (131.8°) can be obtained TMES/TMCS volume ratio of 40/60.

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Recoverable and thermally stable superhydrophobic silica coating

A facile route to methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) based recoverable superhydrophobic silica coatings with dual-scale roughness obtained through the single step base catalyst sol–gel process. Superhydrophobic silica coatings have shown static water contact angle near about 170 ± 1° and dynamic water contact angle up to 2 ± 1°. Superhydrophobic-superhydrophilic switching feature also achieved by alternating heat treatment and bath surface modification with Trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) at room temperature (26 °C). Furthermore, the superhydrophobic state could be transformed into superhydrophilic state by slow rate heat treatment. These studies present a very simple strategy for the fabrication of recoverable superhydrophobic surfaces.     

Thermally stable and transparent superhydrophobic sol–gel coatings by spray method

A facile method was developed for the fabrication of the methyltriethoxysilane based transparent and superhydrophobic coating on glass substrates. The transparent and hydrophobic coatings were deposited on the glass substrates, using spray deposition method followed by surface modification process. A spray deposition method generates hierarchical morphology and post surface modification with monofunctional trimethylchlorosilane decreases the surface free energy of coating. These combined effects of synthesis produces bio-inspired superhydrophobic surface. The deposited coating surface shows high optical transparency, micro-nano scale hierarchical structures, improved hydrophobic thermal stability, static water contact angle of about 167° ± 1°, low sliding angle about 2° ± 1° and stable superhydrophobic nature. This paper provides the very simple sol–gel approach to the fabrication of optically transparent, thermally stable superhydrophobic coating on glass substrates. This fabrication strategy may easily extend to the industrial scale up and high-technology fields.     

Nanocrystalline spinel zinc-substituted cobalt ferrite thick film an efficient ethanol sensor

This study considered Zn-substituted cobalt ferrite (Zn_xCo_1-xFe₂O₄ (x = 0.0–1.0) (ZCF)) thick films structural, morphological, and electrical properties; and gas sensing performance. The ZCF thick film sensor was screen printed on a glass substrate and tested for different analyte gases, including H₂, H₂S, CO₂, Cl₂, NH₃, LPG, and C₂H₅OH. We used X-ray photoelectron spectrometry to investigate composition, chemical state, iron/cobalt or zinc ratio, and cation distribution within Zn-substituted cobalt spinel ferrite tetrahedral and octahedral sites without impurities. FESEM and HR-TEM confirmed grain dimensions between 0.13 and 0.23 μm and porous, nearly spherical to flake-like morphology for the ZCF samples. Sample DC resistivity reduced with increasing temperature, confirming semiconductor nature. Thick film ZCF composition achieved highest the gas response and selectivity to 100 ppm ethanol at room temperature (30 °C). Overall results confirmed that flake-like ZCF sensors could be effective ethanol gas sensors.     

Wettability study of surface modified silica aerogels with different silylating agents

In wettability study, surface free energy interactions are of crucial importance for silica aerogels in which absorption of organic liquids and transportation of chemicals carried out for chemical and biotechnological applications. In present study, we have used Lifshitz–van der Waals/acid–base approach for calculation of surface free energy of aerogel sample. We have investigated that the surface free energy values of aerogels are 45.95, 51.42 and 45.69 mJ/m² by modifying their surfaces using 7 % chlorotrimethylsilane (TMCS), dimethyldichlorosilane (DMDCS) and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ) silylating reagents with solvent, respectively. The alcogels were prepared by two step acid–base catalyzed process where the molar ratio of precursors tetraethoxysilane:methanol:oxalic acid:NH₄OH:NH₄F was kept at optimal value of 1:16.5:0.71:0.58:0.60:0.98, respectively. To modify gel surfaces, TMCS, DMDCS and HMDZ concentration have been varied from 5 to 12 % and such alcogels were dried at ambient pressure. The aerogels have been characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis and Wetting properties of silica aerogel surfaces was studied by contact angle measurements. The surface chemical composition of DMDCS modified silica aerogels was studied by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As there is not any direct method, we have used Lifshitz–van der Waals/acid–base approach which gives, polar and non-polar components of aerogels surface free energy.