Preparation of Dual-Layered Core–Shell Fe3O4@SiO2 Nanoparticles and Their Properties of Plasmid DNA Purification

The rapid purification of biomaterials such as DNA, RNA, and antibodies has attracted extensive attention, and research interest has increased further with the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, core–shell-structured superparamagnetic nanoparticles have been continuously studied for their application as biopurification materials. It has been reported that Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles are one of the most promising candidates for separating nucleic acids via a simple and rapid process. This study proposed a fabrication method for dual-layered Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles, in which the density of the SiO2 shell was controlled using an intermediate surfactant during the SiO2 coating. After the fabrication of dual-layered Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles, structural, morphological, and magnetic analyses were conducted. The results showed that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles were surrounded by a dense layer 15.6~27.9 nm thick and a porous layer 24.2~44.4 nm thick, and had superparamagnetic properties with high saturated magnetization at room temperature (86.9 emu/g). Then, the optimal conditions for the biopurification material were suggested based on analysis of the selective separation of plasmid DNA.

Influence of Cathode Catalyst Layer with SiO2-Coated Pt/Ketjen Black Catalysts on Performance for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

In this study, we investigated the effect of silica (SiO2) layer included in a cathode catalyst layer (CL) on the performance for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Porous carbons such as Ketjen black (KB) have been widely used as a support for Pt catalysts in PEFCs. Such KB-supported Pt catalyst (Pt/KB) was used as a cathode CL with low ionomer content (a condition of low proton conductivity). The Pt/KB was then coated with SiO2. In addition, the Pt/KB and SiO2-coated Pt/KB (SiO2-Pt/KB) were measured and analyzed under relative humidity (RH) conditions (100% and 20%). The catalyst ink of SiO2-Pt/KB showed higher stability and dispersion compared to Pt/KB, due to the hydrophilic surface characteristics of SiO2, which act as a binder-like ionomer. The performance of the SiO2-Pt/KB at 100% RH, was significantly lower than that of Pt/KB, whereas the performance of the Pt/KB at 20% RH, was significantly improved by SiO2 coating. This is due to an increase in the proton conductivity, which can be attributed to the hydrophilic properties of SiO2. Based on these results, the effect of SiO2 coating on performance, depending on carbon supports of SiO2-coated Pt/Carbon catalysts, could be evaluated.

A Durable PVDF/PFOTES-SiO2 Superhydrophobic Coating on AZ31B Mg Alloy with Enhanced Abrasion Resistance Performance and Anti-Corrosion Properties

A simple and practical spray method is employed to prepare a PVDF/PFOTES-SiO2 superhydrophobic composite coating on the AZ31B Mg alloy substrate. The morphology, composition, and water contact angle (CA) were measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and contact angle measuring instrument. Hydrophilic nano-SiO2 is modified by PFOTES to obtain hydrophobicity. The influence of the mass of PFOTES-SiO2 to PVDF on the hydrophobic properties was studied. The wear resistance and stability of the composite coating have been investigated by immersion test, cross-cut adhesion test and friction test. Additionally, the corrosion resistance was measured by electrochemical workstation and salt spray corrosion test. The CA of PVDF/PFOTES-SiO2 coating is 161.3° and the sliding angle (SAs) is less than 2°. After 10× the sandpaper friction test, the superhydrophobic contact angle of the coating remained above 155°, and the sliding angle was less than 5°, which indicated that the prepared coating is a strong superhydrophobic coating with good wear resistance. The results of the electrochemical tests show that the superhydrophobic coating improved the anti-corrosion performance of Mg alloy, and the water contact angle is greater than 150° after 168 h salt spray corrosion test. Due to its excellent superhydrophobicity, wear resistance and anti-corrosion properties, the robust PVDF/PFOTES-SiO2 coating is considered to have great potential for future applications in the automotive and marine industries.

Simple Self-Assembly Strategy of Nanospheres on 3D Substrate and Its Application for Enhanced Textured Silicon Solar Cell

Nanomaterials and nanostructures provide new opportunities to achieve high-performance optical and optoelectronic devices. Three-dimensional (3D) surfaces commonly exist in those devices (such as light-trapping structures or intrinsic grains), and here, we propose requests for nanoscale control over nanostructures on 3D substrates. In this paper, a simple self-assembly strategy of nanospheres for 3D substrates is demonstrated, featuring controllable density (from sparse to close-packed) and controllable layer (from a monolayer to multi-layers). Taking the assembly of wavelength-scale SiO2 nanospheres as an example, it has been found that textured 3D substrate promotes close-packed SiO2 spheres compared to the planar substrate. Distribution density and layers of SiO2 coating can be well controlled by tuning the assembly time and repeating the assembly process. With such a versatile strategy, the enhancement effects of SiO2 coating on textured silicon solar cells were systematically examined by varying assembly conditions. It was found that the close-packed SiO2 monolayer yielded a maximum relative efficiency enhancement of 9.35%. Combining simulation and macro/micro optical measurements, we attributed the enhancement to the nanosphere-induced concentration and anti-reflection of incident light. The proposed self-assembly strategy provides a facile and cost-effective approach for engineering nanomaterials at 3D interfaces.