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Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart...
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Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanoelectronics, Nanosensors and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 21782

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Director, Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies (FIRST), University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Interests: novel nanostructures; surface and interface phenomena; multi-functional materials; cross-disciplinary research and education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
Interests: catalysis; water and wastewater treatment; removal and treatment of emerging contaminants; nutrient recovery and reuse; nanotechnology; sustainable chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced sensors, actuators, and related technologies are becoming key technologies to help address many of the global humanitarian challenges of today, ranging from clean water, renewable energy, and ecofriendly infrastructures to disaster relief, public health, and national security. Many of these devices can be very significantly boosted by nanoscale materials due to their high surface activities and novel quantum effects.

We are, therefore, excited to present this Special Issue focused on nanomaterials, nanocomposites, and hybrid structures related to these applications. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • recent progress in nanoscale sensors;
  • materials for nanoactuators;
  • environmental nanosensors;
  • stimulus-responsive materials;
  • bio-nano-detectors;
  • carbon nanotubes and graphene;
  • hybrid materials and nanocomposites;
  • thin film coatings;
  • nanomaterials for energy conservation.

Prof. Dr. Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay
Dr. Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda
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

  • nanoscale solids
  • nanosensors
  • nanoactuators
  • biodetection
  • environmental detection
  • energy conservation
  • smart systems

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 166 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial for Special Issue “Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies”
by Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay and Mallikarjuna Nadagouda
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(4), 722; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13040722 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1202
Abstract
Advanced materials related to sensing, actuation, catalysis, and other functionalities for interactive devices depend on surface interactions and quantum effects in solids [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)

Research

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31 pages, 13873 KiB  
Article
One A3B Porphyrin Structure—Three Successful Applications
by Ion Fratilescu, Anca Lascu, Bogdan Ovidiu Taranu, Camelia Epuran, Mihaela Birdeanu, Ana-Maria Macsim, Eugenia Tanasa, Eugeniu Vasile and Eugenia Fagadar-Cosma
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1930; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111930 - 5 Jun 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3387
Abstract
Porphyrins are versatile structures capable of acting in multiple ways. A mixed substituted A3B porphyrin, 5-(3-hydroxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-porphyrin and its Pt(II) complex, were synthesised and fully characterised by 1H- and 13C-NMR, TLC, UV-Vis, FT-IR, fluorescence, AFM, TEM and SEM with EDX [...] Read more.
Porphyrins are versatile structures capable of acting in multiple ways. A mixed substituted A3B porphyrin, 5-(3-hydroxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(3-methoxy-phenyl)-porphyrin and its Pt(II) complex, were synthesised and fully characterised by 1H- and 13C-NMR, TLC, UV-Vis, FT-IR, fluorescence, AFM, TEM and SEM with EDX microscopy, both in organic solvents and in acidic mediums. The pure compounds were used, firstly, as sensitive materials for sensitive and selective optical and fluorescence detection of hydroquinone with the best results in the range 0.039–6.71 µM and a detection limit of 0.013 µM and, secondly, as corrosion inhibitors for carbon–steel (OL) in an acid medium giving a best performance of 88% in the case of coverings with Pt-porphyrin. Finally, the electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER) of the free-base and Pt-metalated A3B porphyrins was evaluated in strong alkaline and acidic electrolyte solutions. The best results were obtained for the electrode modified with the metalated porphyrin, drop-casted on a graphite substrate from an N,N-dimethylformamide solution. In the strong acidic medium, the electrode displayed an HER overpotential of 108 mV, at i = −10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope value of 205 mV/dec. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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Graphical abstract

14 pages, 5417 KiB  
Article
Efficient Decrease in Corrosion of Steel in 0.1 M HCl Medium Realized by a Coating with Thin Layers of MnTa2O6 and Porphyrins Using Suitable Laser-Type Approaches
by Mihaela Birdeanu, Ion Fratilescu, Camelia Epuran, Alin Constantin Murariu, Gabriel Socol and Eugenia Fagadar-Cosma
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(7), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12071118 - 28 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2293
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to meet current technical and ecological challenges by developing novel steel coating systems specifically designed for mechanical equipment used in aggressive acid conditions. Homogeneous sandwich-type layered films on the surface of steel electrodes were realized using a [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research is to meet current technical and ecological challenges by developing novel steel coating systems specifically designed for mechanical equipment used in aggressive acid conditions. Homogeneous sandwich-type layered films on the surface of steel electrodes were realized using a pseudo-binary oxide, MnTa2O6, and two different substituted porphyrin derivatives, namely: 5-(4-carboxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris (4-methyl-phenyl)-porphyrin and 5-(4-methyl-benzoate)-10,15,20-tris (4-methyl-phenyl)-porphyrin, which are novel investigated compound pairs. Two suitable laser strategies, pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), were applied in order to prevent porphyrin decomposition and to create smooth layers with low porosity that are extremely adherent to the surface of steel. The electrochemical measurements of corrosion-resistant coating performance revealed that in all cases in which the steel electrodes were protected, a significant value of corrosion inhibition efficiency was found, ranging from 65.6 to 83.7%, depending on the nature of the porphyrin and its position in the sandwich layer. The highest value (83.7%) was obtained for the MAPLE/PLD laser deposition of 5-(4-carboxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris (4-methyl-phenyl)-porphyrin/MnTa2O6(h), meaning that the inhibitors adsorbed and blocked the access of the acid to the active sites of the steel electrodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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Graphical abstract

17 pages, 54300 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Silica Materials Applied for Fuchsine B Color Removal from Wastewaters
by Ion Fratilescu, Zoltán Dudás, Mihaela Birdeanu, Camelia Epuran, Diana Anghel, Ionela Fringu, Anca Lascu, Adél Len and Eugenia Fagadar-Cosma
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(4), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11040863 - 28 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2645
Abstract
Hybrid materials, with applications in fuchsine B color removal from wastewaters, were obtained by in situ incorporation of platinum nanoparticles and/or Pt-porphyrin derivatives into silica matrices. The inorganic silica matrices were synthesized by the sol-gel method, conducted in acid-base catalysis in two steps [...] Read more.
Hybrid materials, with applications in fuchsine B color removal from wastewaters, were obtained by in situ incorporation of platinum nanoparticles and/or Pt-porphyrin derivatives into silica matrices. The inorganic silica matrices were synthesized by the sol-gel method, conducted in acid-base catalysis in two steps and further characterized by Nitrogen porosimetry, Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS), Scanning electron microscopy, Atomic force microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. All of the investigated silica hybrid materials were 100% efficient in removing fuchsine B if concentrations were lower than 1 × 10−5 M. For higher concentrations, the silica matrices containing platinum, either modified with Pt-metalloporphyrin or with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), are the most efficient materials for fuchsine B adsorption from wastewaters. It can be concluded that the presence of the platinum facilitates chemical interactions with the dye molecule through its amine functional groups. An excellent performance of 197.28 mg fuchsine B/g adsorbent material, in good agreement with the best values mentioned in literature, was achieved by PtNPs-silica material, capable of removing the dye from solutions of 5 × 10−4 M, even in still conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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Graphical abstract

9 pages, 1308 KiB  
Communication
Quantification of Nitric Oxide Concentration Using Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors
by Jakob Meier, Joseph Stapleton, Eric Hofferber, Abigail Haworth, Stephen Kachman and Nicole M. Iverson
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(1), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11010243 - 18 Jan 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3573
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical present in biological systems, can have many detrimental effects on the body, from inflammation to cancer. Due to NO’s short half-life, detection and quantification is difficult. The inability to quantify NO has hindered researchers’ understanding of its [...] Read more.
Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical present in biological systems, can have many detrimental effects on the body, from inflammation to cancer. Due to NO’s short half-life, detection and quantification is difficult. The inability to quantify NO has hindered researchers’ understanding of its impact in healthy and diseased conditions. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), when wrapped in a specific single-stranded DNA chain, becomes selective to NO, creating a fluorescence sensor. Unfortunately, the correlation between NO concentration and the SWNT’s fluorescence intensity has been difficult to determine due to an inability to immobilize the sensor without altering its properties. Through the use of a recently developed sensor platform, systematic studies can now be conducted to determine the correlation between SWNT fluorescence and NO concentration. This paper explains the methods used to determine the equations that can be used to convert SWNT fluorescence into NO concentration. Through the use of the equations developed in this paper, an easy method for NO quantification is provided. The methods outlined in this paper will also enable researchers to develop equations to determine the concentration of other reactive species through the use of SWNT sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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11 pages, 1590 KiB  
Article
Post-Synthesis Modification of Photoluminescent and Electrochemiluminescent Au Nanoclusters with Dopamine
by Jae Hyun Kim and Joohoon Kim
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11010046 - 27 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2668
Abstract
Here, we report a post-synthesis functionalization of the shell of Au nanoclusters (NCs) synthesized using glutathione as a thiolate ligand. The as-synthesized Au NCs are subjected to the post-synthesis functionalization via amidic coupling of dopamine on the cluster shell to tailor photoluminescence (PL) [...] Read more.
Here, we report a post-synthesis functionalization of the shell of Au nanoclusters (NCs) synthesized using glutathione as a thiolate ligand. The as-synthesized Au NCs are subjected to the post-synthesis functionalization via amidic coupling of dopamine on the cluster shell to tailor photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) features of the Au NCs. Because the NCs’ PL at ca. 610 nm is primarily ascribed to the Au(I)-thiolate (SG) motifs on the cluster shell of the NCs, the post-synthesis functionalization of the cluster shell enhanced the PL intensity of the Au NCs via rigidification of the cluster shell. In contrast to the PL enhancement, the post-synthesis modification of the cluster shell does not enhance the near-infrared (NIR) ECL of the NCs because the NIR ECL at ca. 800 nm is ascribed to the Au(0)-SG motifs in the metallic core of the NCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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11 pages, 4251 KiB  
Article
Sensitive and In Situ Hemoglobin Detection Based on a Graphene Oxide Functionalized Microfiber
by Fang Fang, Yanpeng Li, Liuyang Yang, Liangye Li, Zhijun Yan and Qizhen Sun
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(12), 2461; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10122461 - 9 Dec 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2550
Abstract
The determination of hemoglobin (Hb) level is indispensable in the pathological study of many blood diseases. Graphene oxide (GO), with its excellent optical properties and great biocompatibility, has attracted significant attention and been widely utilized in biochemical detection. Here, we report an ultrasensitive [...] Read more.
The determination of hemoglobin (Hb) level is indispensable in the pathological study of many blood diseases. Graphene oxide (GO), with its excellent optical properties and great biocompatibility, has attracted significant attention and been widely utilized in biochemical detection. Here, we report an ultrasensitive Hb sensor based on a graphene oxide (GO)-coated microfiber. The GO was utilized as a linking layer deposited on the microfiber surface, which can provide an enhanced local evanescent light field and abundant bonding sites for Hb molecules. The optical microfiber with a compact structure and a strong evanescent light field served as the platform for biosensing. The surface morphology characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, and Raman spectroscopy offers detailed evidence for the success of GO deposition. The dynamic bonding between GO and target Hb molecules was monitored in real-time through an optical spectrum analyzer. An ultrahigh sensitivity of 6.02 nm/(mg/mL) with a detection limit of 0.17 μg/mL was achieved by tracking the resonant wavelength shift of spectra. It is important to highlight that the detection limit of GO-coated microfiber is 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than other reported fiber optic Hb sensors. Benefiting from high sensitivity, low cost, small size, and fast response, the proposed sensing microfiber coated with GO could be a competitive alternative in the diagnosis of blood diseases and a subject of further research in the medical field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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Review

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26 pages, 7073 KiB  
Review
Advances in Matrix-Supported Palladium Nanocatalysts for Water Treatment
by Wenhu Wang, Mallikarjuna N. Nadagouda and Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(20), 3593; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203593 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2344
Abstract
Advanced catalysts are crucial for a wide range of chemical, pharmaceutical, energy, and environmental applications. They can reduce energy barriers and increase reaction rates for desirable transformations, making many critical large-scale processes feasible, eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and affordable. Advances in nanotechnology have ushered in [...] Read more.
Advanced catalysts are crucial for a wide range of chemical, pharmaceutical, energy, and environmental applications. They can reduce energy barriers and increase reaction rates for desirable transformations, making many critical large-scale processes feasible, eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and affordable. Advances in nanotechnology have ushered in a new era for heterogeneous catalysis. Nanoscale catalytic materials are known to surpass their conventional macro-sized counterparts in performance and precision, owing it to their ultra-high surface activities and unique size-dependent quantum properties. In water treatment, nanocatalysts can offer significant promise for novel and ecofriendly pollutant degradation technologies that can be tailored for customer-specific needs. In particular, nano-palladium catalysts have shown promise in degrading larger molecules, making them attractive for mitigating emerging contaminants. However, the applicability of nanomaterials, including nanocatalysts, in practical deployable and ecofriendly devices, is severely limited due to their easy proliferation into the service environment, which raises concerns of toxicity, material retrieval, reusability, and related cost and safety issues. To overcome this limitation, matrix-supported hybrid nanostructures, where nanocatalysts are integrated with other solids for stability and durability, can be employed. The interaction between the support and nanocatalysts becomes important in these materials and needs to be well investigated to better understand their physical, chemical, and catalytic behavior. This review paper presents an overview of recent studies on matrix-supported Pd-nanocatalysts and highlights some of the novel emerging concepts. The focus is on suitable approaches to integrate nanocatalysts in water treatment applications to mitigate emerging contaminants including halogenated molecules. The state-of-the-art supports for palladium nanocatalysts that can be deployed in water treatment systems are reviewed. In addition, research opportunities are emphasized to design robust, reusable, and ecofriendly nanocatalyst architecture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials and Hybrid Structures for Sensors, Actuators and Smart Technologies)
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