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Nanomaterials
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Nano Surface Engineering
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Nano Surface Engineering

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 19174

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hao Wu

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Guest Editor
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Materials and Equipment in Harsh Marine Environment and School of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou 510725, China
Interests: surface engineering; functional thin film; plasma technology; corrosion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kejian Ding

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Guest Editor
School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: nanomaterials; surface engineering; biosensor; photocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Guosong Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China
Interests: coatings; surface modification; corrosion; plasma-related technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over recent decades, nanomaterials and nanotechnology have revolutionized numerous research fields in materials science, including surface science and engineering. It is well-established that the unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials can endow surfaces and interfaces with a variety of functional advantages, including electrical, electronic, magnetic, mechanical, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant properties. Throughout the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, surface engineering technology has also played a crucial role. Using surface engineering techniques, it is possible to construct nanoscale thin films or nanodevices in a controlled manner, to alter the nanoscale structure and features of material surfaces in a specific direction, as well as to synthesize novel functional nanomaterials or nanocomposites with superior structural and interfacial properties. The combination of surface engineering technology and nanomaterials offers virtually unlimited opportunities for the design and application of novel functional materials and interfaces.

This Special Issue focuses on the current state-of-the-art in nanoscale or nanomaterial-related surface engineering. It aims to attract both academic and industrial interest in order to explore theoretical advancements and prospective applications combining surface engineering and nanomaterials. We invite authors to contribute original research and review articles addressing potential topics, including, but not limited to:

  • Nanoscale surface science and engineering, including surface modification, structure manipulation and assembly phenomena at the nano/atomic scale;
  • Low-dimensional materials and their applications in functional interfaces and nanodevices;
  • Nanoscale interfaces relevant to various applied areas, including catalysis, energy conversion and storage, biomaterials, semiconductors, sensors and corrosion protection;
  • Nanostructured or nanomaterial-based thin films and coatings;
  • Surface effects related to nanotexture, nanoarchitecture or nanocrystalline;
  • Characterization and manufacturing techniques for nanoscale surfaces and interfaces.

Dr. Hao Wu
Prof. Dr. Kejian Ding
Prof. Dr. Guosong Wu
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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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

  • surface engineering
  • nanomaterials
  • nanoscale
  • nanostructure
  • thin film
  • low-dimensional materials
  • functional interfaces
  • surface modification techniques

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 3443 KiB  
Article
Menthol-Induced Chirality in Semiconductor Nanostructures: Chiroptical Properties of Atomically Thin 2D CdSe Nanoplatelets Capped with Enantiomeric L-(−)/D-(+)-Menthyl Thioglycolates
by Maria Yu. Skrypnik, Daria A. Kurtina, Sofia P. Karamysheva, Evgeniia A. Stepanidenko, Irina S. Vasil’eva, Shuai Chang, Alexander I. Lebedev and Roman B. Vasiliev
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(23), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14231921 - 28 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 979
Abstract
Semiconductor colloidal nanostructures capped with chiral organic molecules are a research hotspot due to their wide range of important implications for photonic and spintronic applications. However, to date, the study of chiral ligands has been limited almost exclusively to naturally occurring chiral amino [...] Read more.
Semiconductor colloidal nanostructures capped with chiral organic molecules are a research hotspot due to their wide range of important implications for photonic and spintronic applications. However, to date, the study of chiral ligands has been limited almost exclusively to naturally occurring chiral amino and hydroxy acids, which typically contain only one stereocenter. Here, we show the pronounced induction of chirality in atomically thin CdSe nanoplatelets (NPLs) by capping them with enantiopure menthol derivatives as multi-stereocenter molecules. L-(−)/D-(+)-menthyl thioglycolate, easily synthesized from L-(−)/D-(+)-menthol, is attached to Cd-rich (001) basal planes of 2- and 3-monolayer (ML) CdSe NPLs. We show the appearance of narrow sign-alternating bands in the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of 2 ML NPLs corresponding to heavy-hole (HH) and light-hole (LH) excitons with maximal dissymmetry g-factor up to 2.5 × 10−4. The most intense CD bands correspond to the lower-energy HH exciton, and in comparison with the N-acetyl-L-Cysteine ligand, the CD bands for L-(−)-menthyl thioglycolate have the opposite sign. The CD measurements are complemented with magnetic CD measurements and first-principles modeling. The obtained results may be of interest for designing new chiral semiconductor nanostructures and improving understanding of their chiroptical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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8 pages, 15876 KiB  
Communication
Enhanced Copper Bonding Interfaces by Quenching to Form Wrinkled Surfaces
by Tsan-Feng Lu, Yu-Ting Yen, Pei-Wen Wang, Yuan-Fu Cheng, Cheng-Hsiang Chen and YewChung Sermon Wu
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(10), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14100861 - 15 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1177
Abstract
For decades, Moore’s Law has been approaching its limits, posing a huge challenge for further downsizing to nanometer dimensions. A promising avenue to replace Moore’s Law lies in three-dimensional integrated circuits, where Cu–Cu bonding plays a critical role. However, the atomic diffusion rate [...] Read more.
For decades, Moore’s Law has been approaching its limits, posing a huge challenge for further downsizing to nanometer dimensions. A promising avenue to replace Moore’s Law lies in three-dimensional integrated circuits, where Cu–Cu bonding plays a critical role. However, the atomic diffusion rate is notably low at temperatures below 300 °C, resulting in a distinct weak bonding interface, which leads to reliability issues. In this study, a quenching treatment of the Cu film surface was investigated. During the quenching treatment, strain energy was induced due to the variation in thermal expansion coefficients between the Si substrate and the Cu film, resulting in a wrinkled surface morphology on the Cu film. Grain growth was observed at the Cu–Cu bonding interface following bonding at 300 °C for 2 and 4 h. Remarkably, these procedures effectively eliminated the bonding interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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13 pages, 16041 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Nanotwinned Copper Bonding through Epoxy-Induced Copper Surface Modification
by Tsan-Feng Lu, Pei-Wen Wang, Yuan-Fu Cheng, Yu-Ting Yen and YewChung Sermon Wu
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(9), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14090771 - 27 Apr 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1804
Abstract
For decades, Moore’s Law has neared its limits, posing significant challenges to further scaling it down. A promising avenue for extending Moore’s Law lies in three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs), wherein multiple interconnected device layers are vertically bonded using Cu–Cu bonding. The primary [...] Read more.
For decades, Moore’s Law has neared its limits, posing significant challenges to further scaling it down. A promising avenue for extending Moore’s Law lies in three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs), wherein multiple interconnected device layers are vertically bonded using Cu–Cu bonding. The primary bonding mechanism involves Cu solid diffusion bonding. However, the atomic diffusion rate is notably low at temperatures below 300 °C, maintaining a clear and distinct weak bonding interface, which, in turn, gives rise to reliability issues. In this study, a new method of surface modification using epoxy resin to form fine grains on a nanotwinned Cu film was proposed. When bonded at 250 °C, the interfacial grains grew significantly into both sides of the Cu film. When bonded at 300 °C, the interfacial grains extended extensively, eventually eliminating the original bonding interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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15 pages, 4060 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Field Emission Properties of Carbon Nanotube Arrays of Different Morphologies
by Maksim A. Chumak, Alexander V. Shchegolkov, Eugeni O. Popov, Sergey V. Filippov, Anatoly G. Kolosko, Aleksei V. Shchegolkov and Arif A. Babaev
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(9), 763; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14090763 - 26 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1868
Abstract
This article presents, for the first time, a comparative analysis of the emission characteristics of large-area field-effect cathodes (LAFE) based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of various morphologies according to key parameters using a unique computerized technique. The work presents a description of a [...] Read more.
This article presents, for the first time, a comparative analysis of the emission characteristics of large-area field-effect cathodes (LAFE) based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of various morphologies according to key parameters using a unique computerized technique. The work presents a description of a technology for creating various CNT arrays and their comprehensive structure characterization. All CNT arrays synthesized by the catalytic PECVD method on a silicon substrate showed a high degree of chemical purity under the presented technological conditions. In some cases, nanoisland films of Fe were used as a catalyst; in others, thin films of NiO were used, which were deposited on a silicon wafer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD), respectively. As a result of these studies, it turned out that an array with a thick CNT coating has good resistance to the action of strong electric fields, fairly good uniformity of distribution of emission centers, a fairly high selection current (2.88 mA/cm2 at 4.53 V/μm), and compliance with the normal current mode according to the “orthodox” test, which makes the morphology of such structures the most promising for further technological optimization of CNT-based cathodes for various practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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14 pages, 4064 KiB  
Article
Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaic Devices: Interface/Bulk Properties and Stability Issues
by Barbara Paci, Flavia Righi Riva, Amanda Generosi, Marco Guaragno, Emanuela Mangiacapre, Sergio Brutti, Michael Wagner, Andreas Distler and Hans-Joachim Egelhaaf
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(3), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14030269 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1974
Abstract
In the present work, an insight on the morpho/structural properties of semitransparent organic devices for buildings’ integrated photovoltaics is presented, and issues related to interface and bulk stability are addressed. The organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells under investigation are characterized by a blend of [...] Read more.
In the present work, an insight on the morpho/structural properties of semitransparent organic devices for buildings’ integrated photovoltaics is presented, and issues related to interface and bulk stability are addressed. The organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells under investigation are characterized by a blend of PM6:Y6 as a photo-active layer, a ZnO ETL (electron transporting layer), a HTL (hole transporting layer) of HTL-X and a transparent electrode composed by Ag nanowires (AgNWs). The devices’ active nanomaterials, processed as thin films, and their mutual nanoscale interfaces are investigated by a combination of in situ Energy Dispersive X-ray Reflectometry (EDXR) and ex situ Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. In order to discriminate among diverse concomitant aging pathways potentially occurring upon working conditions, the effects of different stress factors were investigated: light and temperature. Evidence is gained of an essential structural stability, although an increased roughness at the ZnO/PM6:Y6 interface is deduced by EDXR measurements. On the contrary, an overall stability of the system subjected to thermal stress in the dark was observed, which is a clear indication of the photo-induced origin of the observed degradation phenomenon. Micro-Raman spectroscopy brings light on the origin of such effect, evidencing a photo-oxidation process of the active material in the device, using hygroscopic organic HTL, during continuous illumination in ambient moisture conditions. The process may be also triggered by a photocatalytic role of the ZnO layer. Therefore, an alternative configuration is proposed, where the hygroscopic HTL-X is replaced by the inorganic compound MoOx. The results show that such alternative configuration is stable under light stress (solar simulator), suggesting that the use of Molybdenum Oxide, limiting the photo-oxidation of the bulk PM6:Y6 active material, can prevent the cell from degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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18 pages, 8661 KiB  
Article
Corrosion Behavior of Ni/NiCr/NiCrAlSi Composite Coating on Copper for Application as a Heat Exchanger in Sea Water
by Hao Du, Jiayuan Wen, Guihong Song, Hao Wu and Yansheng Yin
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(24), 3129; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13243129 - 13 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1248
Abstract
This study introduces a novel Ni/NiCr/NiCrAlSi composite coating to enhance the corrosion resistance of copper, particularly for its use in marine heat exchangers. Utilizing characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical [...] Read more.
This study introduces a novel Ni/NiCr/NiCrAlSi composite coating to enhance the corrosion resistance of copper, particularly for its use in marine heat exchangers. Utilizing characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the paper investigates the coating’s composition, structure, and corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl aqueous solutions. A significant focus is placed on the role of aluminum within the NiCrAlSi layer, examining its influence on the coating’s structure and corrosion behavior. The results indicate that the NiCrAlSi layer with an aluminum content of 5.49 at.% exhibits the most improved corrosion resistance, characterized by the highest corrosion potential and a corrosion current density that is more than one order of magnitude lower compared to the Ni/NiCr coating. The effectiveness of this composite coating is attributed to its multilayer structure and the synergistic effect of alloying elements Cr, Al, and Si, which collectively inhibit corrosive medium penetration. These insights present the Ni/NiCr/NiCrAlSi coating as a promising candidate for copper protection in sea water environments, merging enhanced durability with cost-effectiveness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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19 pages, 19567 KiB  
Article
Highly Orientated Sericite Nanosheets in Epoxy Coating for Excellent Corrosion Protection of AZ31B Mg Alloy
by Hao Wu, Ke Xi, Yan Huang, Zena Zheng, Zhenghua Wu, Ruolin Liu, Chilou Zhou, Yao Xu, Hao Du and Yansheng Yin
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(16), 2310; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13162310 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1641
Abstract
The growing demands for material longevity in marine environments necessitate the development of highly efficient, low-cost, and durable corrosion-protective coatings. Although magnesium alloys are widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, severe corrosion issues still hinder their long-term service in naval architecture. [...] Read more.
The growing demands for material longevity in marine environments necessitate the development of highly efficient, low-cost, and durable corrosion-protective coatings. Although magnesium alloys are widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, severe corrosion issues still hinder their long-term service in naval architecture. In the present work, an epoxy composite coating containing sericite nanosheets is prepared on the AZ31B Mg alloy using a one-step electrophoretic deposition method to improve corrosion resistance. Due to the polyetherimide (PEI) modification, positively charged sericite nanosheets can be highly orientated in an epoxy coating under the influence of an electric field. The sericite-incorporated epoxy coating prepared in the emulsion with 4 wt.% sericite exhibits the highest corrosion resistance, with its corrosion current density being 6 orders of magnitude lower than that of the substrate. Electrochemical measurements and immersion tests showed that the highly orientated sericite nanosheets in the epoxy coating have an excellent barrier effect against corrosive media, thus significantly improving the long-term anti-corrosion performance of the epoxy coating. This work provides new insight into the design of lamellar filler/epoxy coatings with superior anticorrosion performance and shows promise in the corrosion protection of magnesium alloys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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13 pages, 43414 KiB  
Article
High-Bonding-Strength Polyimide Films Achieved via Thermal Management and Surface Activation
by Pin-Syuan He, Dinh-Phuc Tran, Ting-Yu Kuo, Wei-You Hsu, Huai-En Lin, Kai-Cheng Shie and Chih Chen
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(9), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13091575 - 8 May 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3290
Abstract
In this study, thermal and argon (Ar) plasma/wetting treatments were combined to enhance the bonding strength of polyimide (PI) films. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used to analyze the changes in the PI imidization degrees. The contact angles of the [...] Read more.
In this study, thermal and argon (Ar) plasma/wetting treatments were combined to enhance the bonding strength of polyimide (PI) films. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used to analyze the changes in the PI imidization degrees. The contact angles of the PI films were also measured. The results show that the contact angles of the fully cured PI films markedly decreased from 78.54° to 26.05° after the Ar plasma treatments. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was also conducted on the PI surfaces. We found that the intensities of the C-OH and C-N-H bonds increased from 0% to 13% and 29% to 57%, respectively, after Ar plasma activation. Such increases in the C-OH and C-N-H intensities could be attributed to the generation of dangling bonds and the breakage of the imide ring or polymer long chains. Shear tests were also conducted to characterize the bonding strength of the PI films, which, after being treated with the appropriate parameters of temperature, plasma power, and wetting droplets, was found to be excellent at greater than 35.3 MPa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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11 pages, 2636 KiB  
Article
Effect of Hydrothermal and Vapor Thermal Treatments on Apatite Inductivity of Titanate Nanotubes on Anodized Ti–5Nb–5Mo Surface
by Kuan-Hsiang Hsieh, Hsueh-Chuan Hsu, Shih-Ching Wu, Yi-Cheng Shih, Hsiang-Wei Yang and Wen-Fu Ho
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(8), 1296; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081296 - 7 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1584
Abstract
Although titanium (Ti) alloys have been widely employed as biomedical materials, they cannot achieve satisfactory osseointegration when implanted in the human body due to their biologically inert nature. Surface modification can enhance both their bioactivity and corrosion resistance. The present study employed a [...] Read more.
Although titanium (Ti) alloys have been widely employed as biomedical materials, they cannot achieve satisfactory osseointegration when implanted in the human body due to their biologically inert nature. Surface modification can enhance both their bioactivity and corrosion resistance. The present study employed a Ti–5Nb–5Mo alloy with a metastable α″ phase. This alloy may undergo phase changes after conventional high-temperature heat treatment, which can deteriorate its properties. This study heat-treated the anodized Ti–5Nb–5Mo alloy by using a low-temperature hydrothermal or vapor thermal method to analyze the effects of heat treatment on its apatite induction. The results revealed that the porous nanotube structure on the surface of the alloy was transformed into anatase nanoparticles after hydrothermal or vapor thermal treatment at 150 °C for 6 h. After immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 days, the amount of apatite deposited on the surface of the vapor thermal-treated alloy exceeded that on the hydrothermal-treated alloy. Therefore, post-heat treatment of anodized Ti–5Nb–5Mo by using the vapor thermal method can enhance its apatite inductivity without altering its structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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Review

Jump to: Research

25 pages, 9325 KiB  
Review
Burgeoning Single-Atom Nanozymes for Efficient Bacterial Elimination
by Tongyu Shi, Yuanyuan Cui, Huanxiang Yuan, Ruilian Qi and Yu Yu
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(20), 2760; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13202760 - 14 Oct 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
To fight against antibacterial-resistant bacteria-induced infections, the development of highly efficient antibacterial agents with a low risk of inducing resistance is exceedingly urgent. Nanozymes can rapidly kill bacteria with high efficiency by generating reactive oxygen species via enzyme-mimetic catalytic reactions, making them promising [...] Read more.
To fight against antibacterial-resistant bacteria-induced infections, the development of highly efficient antibacterial agents with a low risk of inducing resistance is exceedingly urgent. Nanozymes can rapidly kill bacteria with high efficiency by generating reactive oxygen species via enzyme-mimetic catalytic reactions, making them promising alternatives to antibiotics for antibacterial applications. However, insufficient catalytic activity greatly limits the development of nanozymes to eliminate bacterial infection. By increasing atom utilization to the maximum, single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) with an atomical dispersion of active metal sites manifest superior enzyme-like activities and have achieved great results in antibacterial applications in recent years. In this review, the latest advances in antibacterial SAzymes are summarized, with specific attention to the action mechanism involved in antibacterial applications covering wound disinfection, osteomyelitis treatment, and marine antibiofouling. The remaining challenges and further perspectives of SAzymes for practical antibacterial applications are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nano Surface Engineering)
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