Chapter 5 - Interface Applications in Nanomaterials

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Abstract

This chapter introduces the role of the interface in a myriad of applications, including emerging and rapidly expanding fields such as microsystems and nanosystems. Interfacial science and technology deal with the behaviors of fine-particle dispersions, fibers and thin films, and other systems strongly influenced by the properties of their interfaces. A few of their applications with relevance to problems of public health and welfare directly affecting modern societal needs, such as energy storage and generation, environmental techniques, biomedical, cosmetics, electromagnetic interference shielding, transparent electrode, sensing, and actuation are discussed.

Introduction

Interfacial science and technology deal with the behaviors of fine-particle dispersions, fibers and thin films, and other systems strongly influenced by the properties of their interfaces. On the other hand, the field is defined by a dimension, not by a type of materials, and it therefore includes inorganic, organics, and biomaterials. Many composite materials can create the fibers, rods, and spherical foam with highly ordered molecular orientation in reactions at liquid/liquid interfaces. These multifunctional composite materials can have potential utility as novel bio-, medical-, environmental-, and nano-materials, and hence will experience a bright future as enabling agents in science [1], [2], [3].

The number of publications dealing with various aspects of the applications of multifunctional materials and structures related to interfacial science and technology has increased markedly in recent years. Fig. 5-1 shows how the number of English language refereed journal articles in multifunctional materials and structures has steadily increased since 2000, based on data collected from the Engineering Village© web-based information service.

Multifunctional materials are necessarily composite materials, and the strong growth in the use of composites has been greatly influenced by multifunctional design requirements. There are increasing reports in the literature that significant improvements of multiple structural functions can be achieved with new hybrid multiscale composites that incorporate nanoscale reinforcements as well as conventional micron scale fibers or particle reinforcements. For example, while fiber-dominated properties (i.e., longitudinal tensile strength and elastic modulus) of conventional unidirectional polymer composites with micron size fiber reinforcements are excellent, the corresponding matrix-dominated transverse tensile strength and longitudinal compressive strength properties are often poor. Fig. 5-2 shows a description of length scales related to common materials relevant to microscale and nanoscale systems.

Section snippets

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells [4] have attracted great interest because of their potential application as a cost effective alternative to p–n junction solar cells [5]. In conventional solar cells, the semiconductor has the tasks of light absorption and charge-carrier transport, whereas in dye-sensitized solar cells, the two functions are separately controlled. A photosensitizing dye, anchored to the surface of a wide band gap semiconductor, absorbs light. The photogenerated excitons rapidly split,

NOx and SOx Removals

The growth in environmentalism has seen the introduction of the concept of ‘environmental quality’, which is typically applied to the air we breathe and the water we consume. In terms of NOx/SOx, if the air contains more than 0.1 parts per million (ppm) NO2 or SO2, persons with respiratory complaints may experience breathing difficulties; if it contains more than 2.5 ppm NO2 or 5 ppm SO2, healthy persons can also be affected [30]. Policymakers have acknowledged the potential dangers posed by

Delivery Systems for Food and Drug Products

Consumers in the industrialized world are becoming increasingly aware of the relationship between diet and health. Thus, the demand for a balanced diet and functional food products that address specific health benefits is growing steadily. Healthy food products, as compared to their standard counterparts, can be characterized by several attributes: containing (i) low to moderate sodium, sugar and trans-fat content, (ii) significantly reduced energy density, (iii) an increasing amount of whole

Role of Reinforcement

The structural characteristics of host polymer materials can be improved by including dispersed materials in various ways [149]. The dispersed phase may be continuous (fiber, tape) or discontinuous (particulate, flake, whisker). We restrict the discussion to reinforcing phases used in fiber (or whisker) form since this article deals with mechanical reinforcement effects rather than with considerations of cost reduction, electrical properties, or other nonmechanical aspects. In polymer matrix

The Versatile Properties of Graphene

Potential applications of graphene were discussed in Ref. [209] and, during the last 2 years, significant progress has been made along many of the lines started there. The major difference between now and then is the advent of mass production technologies for graphene. This has dramatically changed the whole landscape by making the subject of applications less speculative and allowing the development of new concepts unimaginable earlier (Fig. 5-73).

  • (1)

    Transistors. Graphene can be used to make

Summary

Many scientific advances in surface science have affected a myriad of applications, including emerging and rapidly expanding fields such as microsystems and nanosystems. Surface modification in such small-scale systems can be a powerful tool due to the high specific surface area to volume ratio in these devices providing a direct method for manipulating transport and reaction phenomena within confined spaces by systematically varying surface properties. A few of these applications with

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