Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kshitij Sharma, Aman Agrawal, Ali Masud, Sushil K. Satija, John F. Ankner, Jack F. Douglas, Alamgir Karim
Summary: The kinetics and morphology of block copolymer films are influenced by the processing pathway, which affects the enthalpic and entropic forces driving the ordering processes. Understanding the free energy landscape and how processing procedures can move the system through this landscape is important for controlling the variability of block copolymer morphology. The authors demonstrate a method where a target low-energy structure can be quickly achieved by subjecting as-cast films to initial solvent annealing followed by a short period of thermal annealing.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yu-Hsuan Tseng, Yu-Liang Lin, Jhih-Hao Ho, Chun-Ting Chang, Yi-Chun Fan, Ming-Hui Shen, Jiun-Tai Chen
Summary: This study presents a clever approach to form PS-b-PEO nanorods in nanopores of AAO templates using solvent vapor annealing method, allowing for control over the internal morphologies of the nanorods by changing the annealing solvents. This technique provides a powerful tool for fabricating functional nanomaterials with unique morphologies, showing great potential for various applications.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yu-Hsuan Tseng, Yi-Chun Fan, Chun-Ting Chang, Yu-Liang Lin, Chia-Wei Chang, Chih-Wei Liao, Jiun-Tai Chen
Summary: In this study, a facile strategy called photoinduced alignment under solvent vapor annealing (PA-SVA) is proposed to form well-aligned block copolymer thin films without the need for chemically or topographically prepatterned substrates. The light-assisted self-assembly of the block copolymers is achieved by incorporating light-responsive azobenzene molecules into the polymer chains. The alignment of the block copolymer chains is induced through supramolecular interactions between the azobenzene molecules and the polymer chains. This method not only allows for manipulation of the position of light-responsive molecules in block copolymer chains, but also provides an alternative way to obtain well-ordered block copolymer thin films.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Andrew Selkirk, Nadezda Prochukhan, Ross Lundy, Cian Cummins, Riley Gatensby, Rachel Kilbride, Andrew Parnell, Jhonattan Baez Vasquez, Michael Morris, Parvaneh Mokarian-Tabari
Summary: This study overcomes the kinetic challenges in the self-assembly of UHMW BCPs through precision solvent annealing, resulting in highly ordered large-period lamellar domains. The research reveals that film thickness and solvent concentration significantly affect the domain morphology.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Magdalena Konefal, Peter Cernoch, Vitalii Patsula, Ewa Pavlova, Jiri Dybal, Karol Zaleski, Alexander Zhigunov
Summary: The study demonstrated that Fe3O4@PAA nanoparticles can selectively segregate inside P4VP domains, enhancing the microphase separation process and resulting in highly ordered nanostructured thin films. The addition of these nanoparticles does not alter the average interdomain spacing in the film lateral nanostructure, and they can be easily removed to obtain well-ordered nanoporous templates.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Maninderjeet Singh, Wenjie Wu, Monali N. Basutkar, Joseph Strzalka, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Jack F. Douglas, Alamgir Karim
Summary: The study demonstrates a rapid self-assembly technique for achieving vertical orientation of block copolymer films on unmodified substrates, leading to faster formation of ordered structures.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rasha Ahmed Hanafy Bayomi, Takashi Aoki, Sono Sasaki, Shinichi Sakurai
Summary: This study reports the spontaneous dewetting of a sphere-forming block copolymer film and the formation of plateau-shaped islands with regularly ordered spherical microdomains. The degree of deformation of the hexagonal lattice in the dewetted islands increases with the degree of island shape deformation, leading to well-ordered arrangement of microdomains. However, the regular ordering is disrupted near the edges of the islands due to mismatch between the island's curvature and the ordered grain shape.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Garba O. Yahaya, Ali Hayek, Abdulkarim Alsamah, Yasser A. Shalabi, Melhan M. Ben Sultan, Rashed H. Alhajry
Summary: This study focused on developing block copolymer membranes for the purification of sour natural gas. Three DAM-based random copolymers were prepared and tested, with membranes prepared from 6FDA-DAM/6FpDA (1:3) showing the most attractive separation properties. Additionally, the block copolymer membrane 6FDA-DAM/6FDA-CARDO (1:1) exhibited potential application prospects compared to standard industrially used glassy polymer cellulose acetate.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pille Rinne, Inga Poldsalu, Veronika Zadin, Urmas Johanson, Tarmo Tamm, Kaija Pohako-Esko, Andres Punning, Daan van den Ende, Alvo Aabloo
Summary: Soft and compliant ionic electromechanically active polymer actuators (IEAPs) are promising smart materials for biomedical and soft robotics applications. However, safety concerns and unreliable operation in foreign liquid environments have hindered their widespread adoption. This study presents a novel approach to fully encapsulate IEAP actuators using a biocompatible block copolymer, resolving the common negative side effect of reduced bending amplitude.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xi Mao, Hao Li, Jinwoo Kim, Shuai Deng, Renhua Deng, Bumjoon J. Kim, Jintao Zhu
Summary: A solvent annealing-induced structural reengineering approach transforms polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) into polymersomes, allowing for effective encapsulation/loading of cargoes such as fluorescent dyes and metal nanoparticles for various applications.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Austin Lieber, Marina Hildebrandt, Shanna-Leigh Davidson, Joanna Rivero, Huda Usman, Tagbo H. R. Niepa, Katherine Hornbostel
Summary: Direct ocean carbon capture (DOC) is a new form of negative emissions technology that needs to be characterized and compared to well-established carbon capture methods. In this study, the feasibility of using microencapsulated solvents for DOC and the extraction of CO2 from seawater using Na2CO3 capsules were assessed through lab-scale experimentation and modeling. The results validate the model and suggest optimal parameters for the capsule bed. However, the techno-economic assessment indicates that the cost of carbon capture using Na2CO3 capsules would be exorbitant, highlighting the need for further research to reduce system costs.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sajan Singh, Tandra Ghoshal, Nadezda Prochukhan, Alberto Alvarez Fernandez, Jhonattan Frank Baez Vasquez, Pravind Yadav, Sibu C. Padmanabhan, Michael A. Morris
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated the formation of oxide porous and nanodot structures from the same block copolymer (BCP) through the phase inversion of a BCP template. The effect of solvent annealing time on the ordering of the BCP was investigated. Metal ions were infiltrated into the BCP templates and oxidized to their oxides. The resulting structures were analyzed through various methods, confirming the complete elimination of the BCP template and the presence of metal oxides.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yapeng Diao, Yuci Xu
Summary: In this study, the micellization behavior of A-B diblock copolymers in polymeric solvents was investigated using dilute solution thermodynamics. The micellization point was found to be a universal function, and both the micelle density profile and the interfacial thickness showed universal behaviors.
Article
Polymer Science
Yu-Hsuan Lin, Chang-Cheng Shiu, Tien-Lin Chen, Hsin-Lung Chen, Jing-Cherng Tsai
Summary: Blending with homopolymer can tune the microdomain morphology of block copolymers, but under certain conditions, the addition of homopolymer may lead to anomalous phenomena such as excessive swelling of junction point separation and decreased interdomain distance.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jiajing Li, Paulina A. Rincon-Delgadillo, Hyo Seon Suh, Geert Mannaert, Paul F. Nealey
Summary: Directed self-assembly of block copolymers has attracted interest from the semiconductor industry due to its potential for achieving semiconductor-relevant structures with a relatively simple and low-cost process. However, the kinetic trapping of self-assembling structures into defective states poses challenges for high-volume manufacturing. A study on the kinetics of defect annihilation in chemoepitaxy DSA revealed a statistical model that suggests all dislocations can be removed by sufficiently long annealing time. Further analysis showed that the distribution of defects is largely influenced by the role of guiding stripes.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abdullah M. Al-Enizi
Summary: In this study, discarded cigarette filters were transformed into valuable materials by using a hydrothermal method to produce heteroatom-doped hierarchical mesoporous carbon nanocomposite. The fabricated composite exhibited high surface area and mesoporosity, and showed remarkable super-capacitive behavior and electrocatalytic performance. Therefore, this research is significant for the efficient utilization of hazardous waste, solving environmental issues, and applications in energy storage systems and fuel cells.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
G. Venkatesh, G. Palanisamy, M. Srinivasan, S. Vignesh, N. Elavarasan, T. Pazhanivel, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Mohd Ubaidullah, Alamgir Karim, K. M. Prabu
Summary: The perovskite CaSnO3/g-C3N4 heterostructure nanocomposite was successfully prepared via a solid-state route, and its photocatalytic performance was investigated. The introduction of g-C3N4 improved the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes, leading to enhanced photocatalytic efficiency. The synthesized material exhibited high degradation efficiency towards methylene blue dye under UV-visible light, and showed good stability and reuseability.
DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
P. Sankudevan, R. Sakthivel, A. Prakasam, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Mohd Ubaidullah, Bidhan Pandit, Chandra Sekhar Dash, S. Revathi, A. Roniboss, M. Sundararajan
Summary: In this work, pure CuCr2O4 and Mn-doped CuCr2O4 nanoparticles were successfully prepared using the microwave combustion process. The prepared samples were characterized using various techniques, and the results showed that Mn doping can significantly decrease the particle size and introduce multiple Mn-related optical centers. Additionally, the prepared samples exhibited irregular plate-shaped agglomerates and demonstrated good antibacterial performance.
JOURNAL OF CLUSTER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gulsum Ersu, Carmen Munuera, Federico J. Mompean, Daniel Vaquero, Jorge Quereda, Joao Elias F. S. Rodrigues, Jose A. Alonso, Eduardo Flores, Jose R. Ares, Isabel J. Ferrer, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Ayman Nafady, Sruthi Kuriakose, Joshua O. Island, Andres Castellanos-Gomez
Summary: We have developed a method to fabricate thermoelectric devices on office paper substrates using handcrafting techniques. The devices consist of thin films of WS2, Te, and BP (P-type semiconductors) and TiS3 and TiS2 (N-type semiconductors) deposited by rubbing these materials' powders onto the paper. The semiconducting films exhibit high Seebeck coefficients, reaching (+1.32 +/- 0.27) mV K-1 for WS2 and (-0.82 +/- 0.15) mV K-1 for TiS3. Peltier elements were also constructed by connecting the P- and N-type films with graphite electrodes, achieving a thermopower value of up to 6.11 mV K-1 when the Peltier element had three junctions. This work demonstrates the potential application of semiconducting van der Waals materials in thermoelectric power generation and low-cost disposable electronic devices.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiayun Guo, Dongge Ma, Fulin Sun, Guilin Zhuang, Qi Wang, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Ayman Nafady, Shengqian Ma
Summary: This study explores the potential of heterojunctions consisting of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with adjustable structures and other photocatalysts in the field of photocatalysis. The authors fabricate TPB-TP-COFs with different substituents (-H, -OH, -OCH3, -Br, and -F groups) and demonstrate that only the -OCH3 groups significantly enhance the photocatalytic performance. DFT calculation further reveals the impact of substituents on electron cloud distribution and charge transport. This research highlights the importance of regulating the electronic effects of semiconductors in improving photocatalytic performance in organic heterojunctions.
SCIENCE CHINA-CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, M. M. El-Halwany, Shoyebmohamad F. Shaikh, Bidhan Pandit, Ayman Yousef
Summary: Nickel nanoparticles supported on Poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene) nanofibers were successfully synthesized through electrospinning and in-situ reduction. The nanofiber membranes exhibited good catalytic activity in hydrogen production, with the sample containing 40 wt% nickel showing the highest activity. The catalyst demonstrated satisfactory stability and could be easily recycled.
ARABIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Alamgir Karim, Ayman Yousef
Summary: This research investigates the use of CdS nanoparticles-decorated ZnO nanofibers as a novel photocatalyst for water splitting. The nanofibers were prepared using electrospinning, and the CdS nanoparticles were synthesized through a colloidal solution. The resulting CdS NPs-decorated ZnO NFs exhibited favorable photocatalytic performance for hydrogen production compared to native ZnO NFs and CdS NPs. The excellent photostability of the NFs was attributed to their nanofibrous morphology, which facilitated photocarrier transport and increased the number of active sites.
ALEXANDRIA ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yin Zhang, Songbo Chen, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Ayman Nafady, Zhiyong Tang, Shengqian Ma
Summary: In this study, a strategy for integrating molecular chiral frustrated Lewis pair (CFLP) with porous metal-organic framework (MOF) was proposed and the catalyst CFLP@MOF was successfully constructed, which enables heterogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation. The developed CFLP@MOF catalyst exhibits high activity/enantio-selectivity and excellent recyclability/regenerability, providing a new avenue for the design and preparation of advanced catalysts for asymmetric catalysis.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
N. Subhashini, S. Revathi, Mohd Ubaidullah, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, S. Muthulakshmi, D. Thiripurasundari, Shoyebmohamad F. Shaikh, Ayman Nafady, Meera Moydeen Abdulhameed, Nouf B. B. Alanzi, Rayana Ibrahim Alkhalifah, Chandra Sekhar Dash, M. Sundararajan, M. Sukumar
Summary: The combustion-based synthesis of BiFeO3 (BFO) and Gd:BFO perovskite nanoparticles was presented. XRD analysis showed that the undoped BFO sample had a single perovskite phase with a rhombohedral structure, while the Gd-doped samples exhibited a structural phase transformation from rhombohedral to orthorhombic. The presence of Bi3+, Gd3+, Fe2+, and O2+ ions in the perovskite samples was confirmed by XPS, and elemental functional groups were detected by FT-IR spectroscopy. The direct band gap decreased as the Gd concentration increased. The synthesized catalysts, particularly Gd:BFO (x = 0.25), exhibited higher conversion and selectivity efficiencies for glycerol in catalytic oxidation studies.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gulsum Ersu, Yigit Sozen, Estrella Sanchez-Viso, Sruthi Kuriakose, Beatriz H. Juarez, Federico J. Mompean, Mar Garcia-Hernandez, Lea Visscher, Alvaro J. Magdaleno, Ferry Prins, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Ayman Nafady, Carmen Munuera, Joshua O. Island, Andres Castellanos-Gomez
Summary: The use of low-cost benchtop plotters combined with refillable writing pens and markers has been studied as an effective method to print nanomaterial-based inks on paper substrates. The approach is robust and precise, allowing for the printing of various solution-processable nanomaterials with narrow pattern features. The study also illustrates the versatility of this printing platform by successfully printing a range of materials with different properties.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
V. S. Veena, H. J. Amith Yadav, S. P. Kubrin, Mohd Ubaidullah, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Bidhan Pandit, Harjot Singh Gill, K. Manjunatha, V. Jagadeesha Angadi
Summary: This study investigates the structural, microstructural, and magnetic property modifications in Bismuth(3 + )-substituted ZnFe2O4 composites. Bi@ZnFe2O4 is synthesized using the solution combustion method and sintered at 500 degrees C for two hours. XRD patterns confirm the cubic symmetry and spinel structure of the samples. Structural parameters are calculated using fundamental formulas. The samples exhibit porous character and significantly agglomerated particles, as revealed by SEM and HRTEM images. The magnetic properties of the composite are described by Neel's two sublattice model based on the cation occupancies.
JOURNAL OF MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alhoda Abdelmoneim, Mohamed Sh. Abdel-wahab, June Key Lee, Meera Moydeen Abdul Hameed, Badr M. Thamer, Abdullah M. Al-Enizi, Rayana Ibrahim Alkhalifah, Wael Z. Tawfik
Summary: In this study, cuprous oxide (Cu2O) thin films were fabricated using a simple sputtering technique. The films were deposited on both traditional fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and Ti-metallic substrates. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the cubic crystal structure of the Cu2O layer. Optical properties were characterized using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and the optical bandgap was determined to be approximately 2.15 eV. XPS and scanning electron microscopy were employed for structural and morphological investigations. Optoelectronic behavior was evaluated using a Keithley source meter, and various parameters such as external quantum efficiency, sensitivity, responsivity, and detectivity were calculated based on experimental data.
Article
Polymer Science
Sierra F. Yost, Christian W. Pester, Bryan D. Vogt
Summary: By controlling the molecular mass distribution, the mechanical properties of 3D printed thermoplastics can be improved, providing a simple and effective approach compared to more complex methods.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Mathematics
Majed Alowaidi, Sunil Kumar Sharma, Abdullah AlEnizi, Shivam Bhardwaj
Summary: This paper proposes the CPBS-AI framework for handling the complexities of systems thinking and communication between independent Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), and addresses the identification and prevention of security threats.
ELECTRONIC RESEARCH ARCHIVE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Mario. V. V. Ramos-Garces, Dodangodage Ishara Senadheera, Karthik Arunagiri, Polyxeni. P. P. Angelopoulou, Georgios Sakellariou, Ke Li, Bryan. D. D. Vogt, Revati Kumar, Christopher. G. G. Arges
Summary: Ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) are widely used in various applications in electrochemical systems. The chemical composition and macromolecular architecture of ion-conducting polymers play a crucial role in ion and water transport. This study focuses on the preparation of different microphase separated block copolymer electrolytes (BCEs) with distinct side chain chemistries. The results show that the more hydrophobic alkyl side chains exhibit significantly higher ionic conductivity compared to alkoxy and zwitterionic side chains.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)
