Design of SiO2/PMHS hybrid nanocomposite for surface treatment of cement-based materials

A silica-based hybrid nanocomposite, SiO₂/polymethylhydrosiloxane (SiO₂/PMHS), is synthesized by a sol-gel process and used for surface treatment of hardened cement-based materials. The advantages of both normal organic and inorganic silica-based treatment agents are explored. Results revealed a covalent chemical bonding of SiO₂ and PMHS and the SiO₂/PMHS showed hydrophobicity and pozzolanic reactivity when used for surface treatment. Greater reductions of the water absorption rate and gas permeability coefficient of cement-based materials were achieved by the hybrid nanocomposite compared to its individual components, showing synergistic effects of hydrophobicity and pore refinement characteristics as proved by the measurements of the contact angle, the mineralogy, the morphology and the porosity. The results showed promising advantages of using silica-based hybrid nanocomposite for surface treatment to achieve a higher surface quality. Moreover, it can be suggested that more functionalities of the cement-based materials can be tailored through the design and use of the silica-based hybrid materials.     

Structure and magnetic properties of FeCo-SiO2 nanocomposite synthesized by a novel wet chemical method

A novel soft magnetic nanocomposite with FeCo particles encapsulated by amorphous SiO₂ was synthesized using a co-precipitation combined H₂ reduction method. The saturation magnetization of the (Fe₇₀Co₃₀)₉₀/(SiO₂)₁₀ nanocomposite is as high as 200 emu/g, which is 4-5 times larger than that of traditional spinel ferrites. The frequency dependence of the complex initial permeability is intensely dependent upon the content of SiO₂ insulating phase. With increasing the content of SiO₂ to 10 wt.%, the cut-off frequency is drastically increased to over 1 GHz. The results show that a new high-frequency soft magnetic material with high saturation magnetization (M_s) can be achieved by introducing FeCo/SiO₂ nanocomposite.     

Extension of optical properties of ZnO/SiO2 materials induced by incorporation of Au or NiO nanoparticles

Incorporating noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) and oxides has been proved to be an effective method to tune the optical properties of silica based materials. In this paper the optical and photocatalytic properties have been studied for ZnO/SiO₂ modified with Au or NiO nanoparticles. Changes in the optical properties of semiconductor ZnO particles have been observed due to the deposition of coloured Au and NiO nanoparticles by reducing the band gap energy and thus extending light absorption to visible domain. The excellent surface characteristics of NiO/ZnO/SiO₂ and Au/ZnO/SiO₂ favour the adsorption behaviour of these materials and limit the recombination of electron–holes pairs. Crystal Violet degradation under VIS light proved to have higher efficiency in the presence of Au/ZnO/SiO₂ (97%) than for NiO/ZnO/SiO₂ (60%).     

少层石墨烯负载纳米SiO2复合材料对水润滑性能的影响

采用液相超声直接剥离法制备了少层石墨烯负载纳米SiO₂复合材料,采用TEM对其形貌进行了表征,利用多功能往复摩擦磨损试验仪考察了少层石墨烯负载纳米SiO₂复合材料对水润滑性能的影响。通过SEM、XPS分别分析了磨损表面的形貌、元素组成及典型元素的化学状态,初步探讨了石墨烯负载纳米SiO₂复合材料在水中的润滑机理。结果表明:纳米SiO₂均匀分布于少层石墨烯片层表面和层间;其作为水润滑添加剂具有良好的减摩抗磨性能,这主要是由于石墨烯负载纳米SiO₂复合材料在磨损表面形成的摩擦化学反应膜与纳米SiO₂的自修复效应发生协同作用,抑制了Fe的氧化,并填补和修复了磨损表面,使磨痕表面的摩擦磨损减轻。     

Titanium–SiO2 nanocomposites and their scaffolds for dental applications

There have been a number of attempts to modify the properties of titanium implants to improve osseointegration. These modifications include alterations of the chemistry and roughness of the surface of the implant. In this work, Ti–10 wt.% SiO₂ nanocomposites and their scaffolds were synthesized using a combination of mechanical alloying and a “space-holder” sintering process. The phase and microstructure analysis was carried out using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and the properties were measured using hardness and corrosion testing equipment. An amorphous structure was obtained at 20 h of milling. The crystallization of the amorphous phase upon annealing led to the formation of a nanostructured Ti–10 wt.% SiO₂ composite with a grain size of approximately 40 nm. The Vickers hardness of the Ti–10 wt.% SiO₂ nanocomposites reached 670 HV_0.2. The in vitro cytocompatibility of these materials was evaluated and compared with conventional microcrystalline titanium, where normal human osteoblast (NHOst) cells from Cambrex (CC-2538) were cultured. The morphology of the cell cultures obtained on the bulk Ti–10 wt.% SiO₂ nanocomposite was similar to those obtained on the microcrystalline titanium. However, on the porous scaffold, the cells adhered to the insert that penetrated the porous structure with their entire surface, whereas on the polished surface, more spherical cells were observed with a smaller surface of adhesion. Porous Ti–10 wt.% SiO₂ scaffolds have been developed in order to promote bone ingrowth and to induce prosthesis stabilization.     

Bi2SiO5 nanosheets prepared by molten salt method

Bi₂SiO₅ nanosheets were successfully synthesized by the molten salt method in NaCl–Na₂SO₄ flux using Bi₂O₃ and SiO₂ as raw materials. XRD analysis and SEM observation show that the incorporation of salt medium can greatly lower the formation temperature of Bi₂SiO₅ phase, and promote their crystallization. The results also demonstrate that the mass ratio of salts to reactants, the reaction time, and the calcination temperature have significant effects on the phase formation and morphology of the Bi₂SiO₅ powders. The UV–vis spectra result shows that the absorption of the Bi₂SiO₅ powders located at 380 nm, and the corresponding band gap energy (Eg) calculated is 3.26 eV.     

Preparation of the SnO2/SiO2 xerogel with a large specific surface area

SnO₂/SiO₂ nanocomposite xerogel was synthesized by using the about-to-gel silica sol as “nanoglue”. Tin oxide uniformly dispersed within the three-dimension network of the silica in the form of nanoparticles. The SnO₂/SiO₂ nanocomposite xerogel has a large specific surface area (SSA), which depends on the deposition time of the silica sol.     

Alignment under Magnetic Field of Mixed Fe2O3/SiO2 Colloidal Mesoporous Particles Induced by Shape Anisotropy

When using the bottom‐up approach with anisotropic building‐blocks, an important goal is to find simple methods to elaborate nanocomposite materials with a truly macroscopic anisotropy. Here, micrometer size colloidal mesoporous particles with a highly anisotropic rod‐like shape (aspect ratio ≈ 10) have been fabricated from silica (SiO₂) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). When dispersed in a solvent, these particles can be easily oriented using a magnetic field (≈200 mT). A macroscopic orientation of the particles is achieved, with their long axis parallel to the field, due to the shape anisotropy of the magnetic component of the particles. The iron oxide nanocrystals are confined inside the porosity and they form columns in the nanochannels. Two different polymorphs of Fe₂O₃ iron oxide have been stabilized, the superparamagnetic γ‐phase and the rarest multiferroic ε‐phase. The phase transformation between these two polymorphs occurs around 900 °C. Because growth occurs under confinement, a preferred crystallographic orientation of iron oxide is obtained, and structural relationships between the two polymorphs are revealed. These findings open completely new possibilities for the design of macroscopically oriented mesoporous nanocomposites, using such strongly anisotropic Fe₂O₃/silica particles. Moreover, in the case of the ε‐phase, nanocomposites with original anisotropic magnetic properties are in view.     

NiO/SiO2 nanostructure and the magnetic moment of NiO nanoparticles

We report on the synthesis, morphology and magnetic properties of a novel NiO/SiO₂ nanostructure. The NiO/SiO₂ nanostructure was synthesized by a method based on the contribution of sol-gel and combustion processes. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) showed the formation of the nanocrystalline NiO phase. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) revealed perfectly spherical NiO nanoparticles with diameter of about 5 nm. Amorphous silica shell around the NiO nanoparticles was also observed by HRTEM showing NiO/SiO₂ core-shell nanostructure. Magnetic measurements show hysteretic behavior at 2 K with coercivity H_C = 700 Oe, remanent magnetization M_r = 3.9 emu/g, saturation magnetization M_S = 28.2 emu/g and huge magnetic moment m_p ≈ 1300 μ_B of the nanoparticles.     

Silicon Cutting Waste Derived Silicon Nanosheets with Adjustable Native SiO2 Shell for Highly-Stable Lithiation/Delithiation

Silicon is an excellent candidate for the next generation of ultra-high performance anode materials, with the rapid iteration of the lithium-ion battery industry. High-quality silicon sources are the cornerstone of the development of silicon anodes, and silicon cutting waste (SCW) is one of them while still faces the problems of poor performance and unclear structure-activity relationship. Herein, a simple, efficient, and inexpensive purification method is implemented to reduce impurities in SCW and expose the morphology of nanosheets therein. Furthermore, HF is used to modulate the abundant native O in SCW after thermodynamic and kinetic considerations, realizing the mechanical support for the internal Si in the form of an amorphous SiO₂ shell. Afterward, SCNS@SiO₂-2.5 with a 1.0 nm thick SiO₂ shell exhibits a reversible capacity of 1583.3 mAh g⁻¹ after 200 cycles at 0.8 A g⁻¹. Ultimately, the molecular dynamics simulations profoundly reveal that the amorphous SiO₂ shell is transformed into the extremely ductile Li_xSiO_y shell to ditch stress and relieve strain during the lithiation/delithiation process.     

The role of SiO2 buffer layer in the growth of highly textured LiNbO3 thin film upon SiO2/Si by pulsed laser deposition

Highly c-axis-oriented lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) thin films have been grown on Si with optimum thickness of the SiO₂ buffer layer by pulsed laser deposition technique. The amorphous SiO₂ buffer layer was formed on Si (100) wafer by thermal oxidation method. The crystallinity and c-axis orientation of LiNbO₃ films were strongly influenced by the thickness of amorphous SiO₂ buffer layers. The optimum thickness of the amorphous SiO₂ buffer layer was found to be about 230 nm for the growth of highly c-axis-oriented LiNbO₃ films. The achieved films have smooth surface and sharp interface. The prism coupler method indicates that the prepared LiNbO₃ films have great potential for optical waveguide device.     

Low-temperature synthesis of Li4SiO4 pebbles as tritium breeding material by SiO2 coating approach

Li₄SiO₄ pebbles are widely selected as attractive ceramic tritium breeding materials for the test blanket modules (TBM) of international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). In this work, SiO₂ coating approach was first employed to synthesize precursor powders for fabricating the Li₄SiO₄ pebbles. Lithium source and silicon source were mixed by hydrolyzing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the Li₂CO₃ solution. Compared with the traditional solid state method, the precursor powders synthesized by SiO₂ coating approach displayed distinct coating structure, which was able to effectively lower the phase formation temperature and the sintering temperature of Li₄SiO₄ pebbles, and then decrease the grain size of Li₄SiO₄ pebbles. Thermogravimetry and different scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that the phase formation temperature of Li₄SiO₄ synthesized by SiO₂ coating approach is far below that of the conventional solid state reaction. Then, wet method was employed to prepare green spheres with the as-prepared precursor powders. Finally, Li₄SiO₄ pebbles with small grain size (average value 1.12?µm), high phase purity, good sphericity, and uniform microstructure could be obtained by sintering the green spheres at a low temperature of 625°C, which are expected to show favorable tritium release behavior and be used as tritium breeding materials for blankets.     

Design of Multifunctional Fluorescent Hybrid Materials Based on SiO2 Materials and Core–Shell Fe3O4@SiO2 Nanoparticles for Metal Ion Sensing

Hybrid fluorescent materials constructed from organic chelating fluorescent probes and inorganic solid supports by covalent interactions are a special type of hybrid sensing platform that has gained much interest in the context of metal ion sensing applications owing to their excellent advantages, recyclability, and solubility/dispersibility in particular, as compared with single organic fluorescent molecules. In recent decades, SiO₂ materials and core–shell Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles have become important inorganic solid materials and have been used as inorganic solid supports to hybridize with organic fluorescent receptors, resulting in multifunctional fluorescent hybrid systems for potential applications in sensing and related research fields. Therefore, recent progress in various fluorescent‐group‐functionalized SiO₂ materials is reviewed, with a focus on mesoporous silica nanoparticles and core–shell Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles, as interesting fluorescent organic–inorganic hybrid materials for sensing applications toward essential and toxic metal ions. Selective examples of other types of silica/silicon materials, such as periodic mesoporous organosilicas, solid SiO₂ nanoparticles, fibrous silica spheres, silica nanowires, silica nanotubes, and silica hollow microspheres, are also mentioned. Finally, relevant perspectives of metal‐ion‐sensing‐oriented silica‐fluorescent probe hybrid materials are provided.     

Biocompatibility assessment of SiO2 –TiO2 composite powder on MG63 osteoblast cell lines for orthopaedic applications

The objective of this study is to evaluate the biocompatibility of composite powder consisting of silica and titania (SiO₂ –TiO₂) for biomedical applications. The advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology encourages researchers to actively participate in reinvention of existing materials with improved physical, chemical and biological properties. Hence, a composite/hybrid material has given birth of new materials with intriguing properties. In the present investigation, SiO₂ –TiO₂ composite powder was synthesised by sol‐gel method and the prepared nanocomposite was characterised for its phase purity, functional groups, surface topography by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, to understand the adverse effects of composite, biocompatibility test was analysed by cell culture method using MG63 osteoblast cell lines as a basic screening method. From the results, it was observed that typical Si–O–Ti peaks in FT‐IR confirms the formation of composite and the crystallinity of the composite powder was analysed by XRD analysis. Further in vitro biocompatibility and acridine orange results have indicated better biocompatibility at different concentrations on osteoblast cell lines. On the basis of these observations, we envision that the prepared silica–titania nanocomposite is an intriguing biomaterial for better biomedical applications.Inspec keywords: bioceramics, nanocomposites, silicon compounds, titanium compounds, nanofabrication, sol‐gel processing, surface topography, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray chemical analysis, cellular biophysics, nanomedicineOther keywords: MG63 osteoblast cell lines, orthopaedic applications, biomedical applications, nanoscience, nanotechnology, nanotoxicology, physical properties, chemical properties, biological properties, biological applications, biomaterial synthesis, composite‐hybrid materials, intriguing properties, sol‐gel method, surface properties, ceramic nanocomposite, phase purity, functional groups, surface topography, powder X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FT‐IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, biocompatibility test, cell culture method, screening method, crystallinity, XRD, in vitro biocompatibility, acridine orange, silica‐titania nanocomposite powder, SiO₂ ‐TiO₂      

Resistive Switching in Nanogap Systems on SiO2 Substrates

Voltage‐controlled resistive switching in various gap systems on SiO₂ substrates is reported. The nanoscale‐sized gaps are made by several means using different materials including metals, semiconductors, and amorphous carbon. The switching site is further reduced in size by using multiwalled carbon nanotubes and single‐walled carbon nanotubes. The switching in all the gap systems shares the same characteristics. This independence of switching on the material compositions of the electrodes, accompanied by observable damage to the SiO₂ substrate at the gap region, bespeaks the intrinsic switching from post‐breakdown SiO₂. It calls for caution when studying resistive switching in nanosystems on oxide substrates, since oxide breakdown extrinsic to the nanosystem can mimic resistive switching. Meanwhile, the high ON/OFF ratio (≈10⁵), fast switching time (2 µs, tested limit), and durable cycles show promising memory properties. The observed intermediate states reveal the filamentary nature of the switching.     

Melting, crystallization and optical behaviors of poly (ethylene terephthalate)-silica/polystyrene nanocomposite films

Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)-silica (SiO₂)/polystyrene (PS) nanocomposite films were prepared by melting PET with the core-shell SiO₂/PS nanoparticles. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that the crystallization temperature of PET-SiO₂/PS nanocomposite films with 2 wt.% PS-encapsulated SiO₂ nanoparticles reached 205.1 °C, 11.6 °C higher than that of PET. For crystallized PET-SiO₂/PS nanocomposite films, double melting peaks appeared in DSC curves similar to PET. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a netlike fibre morphology for the amorphous PET-SiO₂/PS nanocomposite films with 2 wt.% PS-encapsulated SiO₂ nanoparticles. The light transmittance of these amorphous PET-SiO₂/PS nanocomposite films reached 87.9%, compared to 84.2% for PET. With the increase of annealing temperature from 110 to 150 °C, the transmittance of PET-SiO₂/PS nanocomposite films decreased slowly from 69.9 to 46.9%, while their haziness increased slightly from 45.8 to 48.2%. All these phenomena are suggested to result from the strongly heterogeneous nucleation of PS-encapsulated SiO₂ nanoparticles in PET.     

Influences of crystallization time,batch molar ratios Al2O3/SiO2 and Na2O/SiO2 on particulate properties of sodalite crystals prepared under room-temperature conditions

Sodalite crystals were prepared by the hydrothermal method under room-temperature conditions. The influences of crystallization time, batch molar ratios Al₂O₃/SiO₂ and Na₂O/SiO₂ on the crystalline end products were investigated. For comparison, an experiment was also carried out in which sodalite was synthesized at 90 °C for 10 h. The results revealed that with the prolongation of crystallization time from 1 h to 14 days, the crystallization followed a sequence of phase transformations from an amorphous phase to zeolite NaA, and finally to sodalite. Spherical sodalite crystals composed of very small crystallites were obtained after 10 h of room-temperature crystallization. Whereas, with the same gel composition, the sodalite synthesized at 90 °C for 10 h was large lepispherical particles. High Al₂O₃/SiO₂ molar ratio favored the generation of smaller individual sodalite nanocrystals, which resulted in the formation of larger steady congregated agglomerates. Moreover, alkalinity circumstance determined whether or not sodalite was formed. Well-developed cubic zeolite NaA particles were obtained at Na₂O/SiO₂ = 1.4; when the Na₂O/SiO₂ was increased to 8.0, zeolite NaZ-21 crystals were generated, meanwhile, the decomposition of wool ball-like sodalite particles into nanorods was also observed.     

Structure and chemistry of grain boundaries in SiO2-doped TZP

The addition of glass phase can control the grain boundary structure and hence the mechanical properties of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP). To reveal the effect of the glass dopant on the high-temperature deformation behavior of TZP, SiO₂-doped TZP, (SiO₂—Al₂O₃)-doped TZP, (SiO₂—MgO)-doped TZP and undoped TZP were prepared and their grain boundary structure, chemical composition and chemical bonding state were investigated by high resolution electron microscopy ,HREM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ,EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) using a field-emission-type transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM). It was found that no amorphous film was formed along the grain boundaries in any of the specimens examined, but amorphous pockets formed at multiple grain boundary junctions in three kinds of glass-doped specimens. In the glass-doped specimens, the segregation of yttrium, silicon and the added metal ions (Al³¹ or Mg²¹) was observed over a width of several nm across the grain boundaries. The addition of pure SiO₂ much enhanced the ductility in TZP, although further addition of a small amount of Al₂O₃ or MgO to SiO₂ phase resulted in a marked reduction in the tensile ductility of SiO₂-doped TZP. EELS measurements and molecular orbital (MO) calculations using a cluster model revealed that the ductility of TZP was related to the bond overlap population (BOP) at the grain boundaries, which was influenced by the kinds of segregated dopants. That is, the presence of Si⁴¹ increases the BOP, strengthening the grain boundary bonding strength and thus preventing cavity formation, but Al³¹ and Mg²¹ decrease the BOP, enhancing the grain boundary cavitation and thus reducing the ductility. Furthermore, the dynamic behavior of SiO₂ in TZP was observed using a TEM in situ heating technique, and the results supported the fact that that Si segregates along the grain boundaries.     

Effect of SiO2 and Al2O3 on the setting and hardening of high calcium fly ash-based geopolymer systems

This study investigates the effect of silica and alumina contents on setting, phase development, and physical properties of high calcium fly ash (ASTM Class C) geopolymers. The characteristic rapid setting properties and, hence, limited workability range of high calcium fly ash geopolymers has restricted both development and potential application of these binder systems compared to conventional geopolymer binders derived from bituminous coal, i.e., (ASTM Class F) sources or from calcined kaolin feedstocks. For this study, control of setting and hardening properties were investigated by adjusting SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio of the starting mix, via series of mixes formulated with varying SiO₂ or Al₂O₃ contents to achieve SiO₂/Al₂O₃ in the range 2.87–4.79. Foremost is the observation that the effect of varying silica and alumina in high calcium fly ash systems on setting and hardening properties is markedly different from that observed for traditional Class F geopolymer systems. Overall, increases in either silica or alumina content appear to shorten the setting time of high calcium-based systems unlike conventional geopolymer systems where increasing Al₂O₃ accelerates setting. The setting process was associated primarily with CSH or CASH formation. Furthermore, there appears to be a prevailing SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio that prolongs setting, rather than Ca²⁺ ion content itself, while NASH primarily contributes to strength development. SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios in the range of 3.20–3.70 resulted in products with highest strengths and longest setting times. These results suggest that initial predominance of Ca²⁺ ions and its reactions effectively help maintaining a SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio at which amorphous geopolymer phase is stable to influence setting and initial strength development.     

Preparation and magnetic characteristics of mesoporous nickel oxide–silica composites

Mesoporous NiO–SiO₂ (MCM-41) silica-matrix composites with various nickel oxide concentrations (NiO : SiO₂ = 0.025 : 1 to 0.2 : 1) have been produced by oxide cocondensation under hydrothermal synthesis conditions in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a template and (2-cyanoethyl) triethoxysilane as an organosubstituted trialkoxysilane additive. X-ray diffraction data have been used to evaluate the maximum nickel(II) oxide concentration (NiO : SiO₂ = 0.1 : 1) that allows the ordered mesopore structure of MCM-41 to persist in the silica-matrix composites. We have studied the magnetic properties of this material as functions of temperature and magnetic field. The results demonstrate that the magnetic properties of the nanocomposite with NiO : SiO₂ = 0.1 : 1 at low temperatures (T < 20 K) are determined by incomplete spin compensation in the matrix and on the surface of the NiO nanoparticles.