Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
3.0
Journals
Micromachines
Special Issues
Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials
share announcement

Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "E：Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 25513

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hong Li

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Interests: electrocatalyst; photocatalyst; 2D materials; energy conversion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Beng Kang Tay

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, S1-B1a-22, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Interests: carbon based materials; carbon nanotubes; 2D materials; vacuum arc technology; thin films
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The advances of nanotechnology and discovery of nanomaterials have greatly benefited science and engineering. For instance, nanomaterials greatly enhance the solar cell efficiency, and nanomaterial catalysts significantly improves water splitting for green hydrogen production. Nanotechnology enriches the toolbox for study of new physics and chemistry. For instance, nanotechnology drastically accelerates the investigation of redox reaction mechanisms involved in supercapacitors, electrolysis etc. Accordingly, this Special Issue aims to collect research papers, communications, and reviews to showcase the significant roles of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials in both physics the chemistry, e.g., but not limited to, plasmonic, optoelectronic devices, solar cells and energy conversion/storage.

Prof. Dr. Hong Li
Prof. Dr. Beng Kang Tay
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy conversion and storage
  • nanotechnology
  • nanomaterials
  • supercapacitors
  • photoelectrochemical
  • electrocatalysis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

8 pages, 4156 KiB  
Article
Low-Power Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of Antimonene Nanofilms for Water Splitting Reaction
by Xingli Wang, Junyu Ge, Nicole Ru-Xuan Ang, Kun Liang, Chong-Wei Tan, Hong Li and Beng Kang Tay
Micromachines 2022, 13(3), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13030489 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2276
Abstract
Antimonene (Sb) is a novel kind of two-dimensional (2D) material that is predicted to be promising for various applications, such as water splitting and semiconductor devices. Several methods have been reported to prepare Sb nanoflakes/nanofilms; however, it is still relatively difficult to prepare [...] Read more.
Antimonene (Sb) is a novel kind of two-dimensional (2D) material that is predicted to be promising for various applications, such as water splitting and semiconductor devices. Several methods have been reported to prepare Sb nanoflakes/nanofilms; however, it is still relatively difficult to prepare Sb nanofilms. In this work, a method of low-power magnetron sputtering deposition was used for the preparation of Sb nanofilms with lateral dimensions on the centimeter scale and controllable film thickness. It was found that the control of the deposition temperature is important for the final crystalline structure of the nanofilms. Furthermore, the application of the nanofilms as a catalyst for water splitting (hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER)) was demonstrated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5387 KiB  
Article
MHD Flow of a Hybrid Nano-Fluid in a Triangular Enclosure with Zigzags and an Elliptic Obstacle
by Ines Chabani, Fateh Mebarek-Oudina and Abdel Aziz I. Ismail
Micromachines 2022, 13(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13020224 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 114 | Viewed by 4151
Abstract
The current study uses the multi-physics COMSOL software and the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model with a porosity of ε = 0.4 to conduct a numerical study on heat transfer by Cu-TiO2/EG hybrid nano-fluid inside a porous annulus between a zigzagged triangle and different [...] Read more.
The current study uses the multi-physics COMSOL software and the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model with a porosity of ε = 0.4 to conduct a numerical study on heat transfer by Cu-TiO2/EG hybrid nano-fluid inside a porous annulus between a zigzagged triangle and different cylinders and under the influence of an inclined magnetic field. The effect of numerous factors is detailed, including Rayleigh number (103 ≤ Ra ≤ 106), Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 100), volume percent of the nano-fluid (0.02 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.08), and the rotating speed of the cylinder (−4000 ≤ w ≤ 4000). Except for the Hartmann number, which decelerates the flow rate, each of these parameters has a positive impact on the thermal transmission rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 1980 KiB  
Article
Graphitisation of Waste Carbon Powder with Femtosecond Laser Annealing
by Lucas Lum, Chong-Wei Tan, Chun Fei Siah, Kun Liang and Beng Kang Tay
Micromachines 2022, 13(1), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13010120 - 12 Jan 2022
Viewed by 1972
Abstract
Graphitisation of structural characteristics and improvement in electrical conductivity was reported onto waste carbon powder through femtosecond laser annealing. Raman spectroscopy on the carbon powder pre- and post-annealing showed a shift from amorphous-like carbon to graphitic-like carbon, which can be explained by the [...] Read more.
Graphitisation of structural characteristics and improvement in electrical conductivity was reported onto waste carbon powder through femtosecond laser annealing. Raman spectroscopy on the carbon powder pre- and post-annealing showed a shift from amorphous-like carbon to graphitic-like carbon, which can be explained by the three-stage model. Electrical I-V probing of the samples revealed an increase in conductivity by up to 90%. An increase in incident laser power was found to be correlated to an increase in conductivity. An average incident laser power of 0.104 W or less showed little to no change in electrical characteristics, while an average incident laser power of greater than 1.626 W had a destructive effect on the carbon powder, shown through the reduction in powder. The most significant improvement in electrical conductivity has been observed at laser powers ranging from 0.526 to 1.286 W. To conclude, the graphitisation of waste carbon powder is possible using post-process femtosecond laser annealing to alter its electrical conductivity for future applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

37 pages, 11417 KiB  
Review
Electroreforming of Biomass for Value-Added Products
by Zi Iun Lai, Li Quan Lee and Hong Li
Micromachines 2021, 12(11), 1405; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12111405 - 16 Nov 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4595
Abstract
Humanity’s overreliance on fossil fuels for chemical and energy production has resulted in uncontrollable carbon emissions that have warranted widespread concern regarding global warming. To address this issue, there is a growing body of research on renewable resources such as biomass, of which [...] Read more.
Humanity’s overreliance on fossil fuels for chemical and energy production has resulted in uncontrollable carbon emissions that have warranted widespread concern regarding global warming. To address this issue, there is a growing body of research on renewable resources such as biomass, of which cellulose is the most abundant type. In particular, the electrochemical reforming of biomass is especially promising, as it allows greater control over valorization processes and requires milder conditions. Driven by renewable electricity, electroreforming of biomass can be green and sustainable. Moreover, green hydrogen generation can be coupled to anodic biomass electroforming, which has attracted ever-increasing attention. The following review is a summary of recent developments related to electroreforming cellulose and its derivatives (glucose, hydroxymethylfurfural, levulinic acid). The electroreforming of biomass can be achieved on the anode of an electrochemical cell through electrooxidation, as well as on the cathode through electroreduction. Recent advances in the anodic electroreforming of cellulose and cellulose-derived glucose and 5-hydrooxylmethoylfurural (5-HMF) are first summarized. Then, the key achievements in the cathodic electroreforming of cellulose and cellulose-derived 5-HMF and levulinic acid are discussed. Afterward, the emerging research focusing on coupling hydrogen evolution with anodic biomass reforming for the cogeneration of green hydrogen fuel and value-added chemicals is reviewed. The final chapter of this paper provides our perspective on the challenges and future research directions of biomass electroreforming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 12362 KiB  
Review
Photocatalytic Degradation of Plastic Waste: A Mini Review
by Qian Ying Lee and Hong Li
Micromachines 2021, 12(8), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12080907 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 74 | Viewed by 11240
Abstract
Plastic waste becomes an immediate threat to our society with ever-increasing negative impacts on our environment and health by entering our food chain. Sunlight is known to be the natural energy source that degrades plastic waste at a very slow rate. Mimicking the [...] Read more.
Plastic waste becomes an immediate threat to our society with ever-increasing negative impacts on our environment and health by entering our food chain. Sunlight is known to be the natural energy source that degrades plastic waste at a very slow rate. Mimicking the role of sunlight, the photocatalytic degradation process could significantly accelerate the degradation rate thanks to the photocatalyst that drastically facilitates the photochemical reactions involved in the degradation process. This mini review begins with an introduction to the chemical compositions of the common plastic waste. The mechanisms of photodegradation of polymers in general were then revisited. Afterwards, a few photocatalysts were introduced with an emphasis on titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is the most frequently used photocatalyst. The roles of TiO2 photocatalyst in the photodegradation process were then elaborated, followed by the recent advances of photocatalytic degradation of various plastic waste. Lastly, our perspectives on the future research directions of photocatalytic plastic degradation are present. Herein, the importance of catalytic photodegradation is emphasized to inspire research on developing new photocatalysts and new processes for decomposition of plastic waste, and then to increase its recycling rate particularly in the current pandemic with the ever-increasing generation of plastic waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop