Polymer nanocomposites (nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix) have been the subject of intense research for almost two decades in both academic and industrial settings. This interest has been fueled by the ability of nanocomposites to not only improve the performance of polymers, but also by their ability to introduce new properties. Yet, there are still challenges that polymer nanocomposites must overcome to reach their full potential. In this Research News article we discuss a new class of hybrids termed nanoparticle ionic materials (NIMS). NIMS are organic–inorganic hybrid materials comprising a nanoparticle core functionalized with a covalently tethered ionic corona. They are facilely engineered to display flow properties that span the range from glassy solids to free flowing liquids. These new systems have unique properties that can overcome some of the challenges facing nanocomosite materials.

In this article we discuss the effect of constituents on structure, flow, and thermal properties of Nanoscale Ionic Materials (NIMs). NIMs are a new class of nanohybrids consisting of a nanometer sized core, a charged corona covalently attached to the core, and an oppositely charged canopy. The hybrid nature of NIMs allows for their properties to be engineered by selectively varying their components. The unique properties associated with these systems can help overcome some of the issues facing the implementation of nanohybrids to various commercial applications, including carbon dioxide capture, water desalinization, and as lubricants.

Nanoscale ionic materials (NIMS) are organic-inorganic hybrids in which a core nanostructure is functionalized with a covalently attached corona and an ionically tethered organic canopy. NIMS are engineered to be liquids under ambient conditions in the absence of solvent and are of interest for a variety of applications. We have used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation and pulse-field gradient (PFG) diffusion experiments to measure the canopy dynamics of NIMS prepared from 18-nm silica cores modified by an alkylsilane monolayer possessing terminal sulfonic

HfO 2 nanoparticles stabilized with selected ligands possess high refractive index and low absorbance under 193 nm radiation. These materials combined with an appropriate photopolymer were used as a nanocomposite photoresist. The resulting nanocomposite materials were used successfully for high resolution patterning.

We report for the first time an ionic fluid based on hydroxylated fullerenes (fullerols). The ionic fluid was synthesized by neutralizing the fully protonated fullerol with an amine terminated polyethylene/polypropylene oxide oligomer (Jeffamine). The ionic fluid was compared to a control synthesized by mixing the partially protonated form (sodium form) of the fullerols with the same oligomeric amine in the same ratio as in the ionic fluids (20 wt% fullerol). In the fullerol fluid the ionic bonding significantly perturbs the thermal transitions and melting/crystallization behavior of the amine. In contrast, both the normalized heat of fusion and crystallization of the amine in the control are similar to those of the neat amine consistent with a physical mixture of the fullerols/amine with minimal interactions. In addition to differences in thermal behavior, the fullerol ionic fluid exhibits a complex viscoelastic behavior intermediate between the neat Jeffamine (liquid-like) and the control (solid-like).

Gold nanoparticles exhibit fascinating size-dependent electric, magnetic and optical properties, and find applications from catalysis to biology.[1] The development of simple and versatile methods for the preparation of gold nanoparticles in a size-or shape-selected and -controlled manner is an important and challenging task for the design of gold nanoparticles with such novel physical properties.[2] Gold surfaces and nanoparticles are attracting significant attention recently in the context of emerging nanotechnology applications. [3] Numerous strategies for gold nanoparticle functionalization have been explored, including thiol-containing polymers, [4][5][6][7][8][9] ionic liquids, [10] and amphiphilic molecules. [11] Depending on the surface modifier, gold nanoparticles with a wide range of functional properties and potential applications can be obtained. In all these instances, in the absence of solvents, the functionalized gold nanostructures appear and behave like solids. [12] Recently, an interesting class of functionalized nanoparticles exhibiting liquid-like behavior in the absence of solvents resulted from the organic modifier grafted onto the nanoparticles by ion exchange or hydrogen bonding. [13][14][15][16][17][18] We termed those solvent-free nanofluids. Solvent-free nanofluids are organic-inorganic hybrid materials and are of great value for processsability, manipulation, and ease of dispersion in solvents and polymer matrices to improve polymer properties and accelerate the formation of nanocomposites development due to favorable compatibility. Simultaneously, solvent-free nanofluids not only possess properties of particles and modifiers, but novel performance is also introduced. The excellent physical and chemical properties which can be tailored according to geometric and chemical characteristics of the core and canopy, along with thermodynamic state variables such as temperature and volume fraction, make them interesting for application in lubricants, plasticizers, heat transfer, and battery cell fields and more.Metal nanoparticles based on Au, Pt and Pd with liquid behavior were synthesized. To generate metal nanoparticles with liquid-like properties, a five-step process is required.[12] The small size, low density, and surface chemistry of the core all play key roles in isolating a modified nanostructure in liquid form. The organic shell provides the "solvent" for the dispersion of the nanoparticles, thus imparting fluidity. [19] In the gold hybrid material system, the gold nanoparticles form the core, and the shell is the ionic liquid be formed by alkanethiols and poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG]-substituted tertiary amines. The gold hybrid materials not only embody the characteristics of gold nanoparticles, but also exhibit properties of ionic liquids, such as proton conductivity. Thus, the gold hybrid materials have unique properties to overcome some of the challenges facing their application in battery cells and biological materials.In an effort to simplify the process and extend the preparati...

A simple yet general coating method to plasma treated polymeric substrates is presented. The method is based on electrostatic interactions between the surface functionalized nanoparticles and the charged substrate and leads to stable and solvent resistant multilayer coatings. The coatings render polypropylene (PP) hydrophilic and in the case of PP fabric superhydrophilic.The superhydrophilicity is attributed to the topography and increased roughness of the fabric compared to a planar, smooth substrate. 1Coating technologies are continuously being developed in an attempt to meet a diverse range of very specific requirements and applications 1 . Full or partial coatings are applied to surfaces for a number of different reasons including aesthetic or functional finishes and protective layers.Current trends in this field have focused on introducing nanoparticles to coating formulations 2,3 .In this report, we present a simple deposition process using functionalized SiO 2 nanoparticles on plasma treated polypropylene (PP) fabrics. As a control experiment, deposition on planar PP substrates is also demonstrated. The electrostatic attraction between the functionalized nanoparticles and the charged plastic substrates imparts stability and durability to the coatings.Judicious selection of the functional groups grafted to the nanoparticles and optimization of their charge density leads to coatings exhibiting hydrophilicity (superhydrophilicity in the case of the PP fabric). To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a superhydrophilic PP fabric. While, we focus here on a very specific system, the approach is general and applicable to a wide range of substrate-particle combinations.Plasma treated polypropylene, PP, was chosen as a model substrate, since plasma treatment leads conveniently to the formation of various surface groups 4,5 without sacrificing any of its bulk properties. Silica nanoparticles were used because their surface chemistry and charge density can be fine-tuned, enabling exquisite control of the electrostatic interactions between the coating and the substrate 6,7 . The silica nanoparticles used here were treated with N-Trimethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride. The presence of ammonium groups on the surface renders the functionalized nanoparticles positively charged. They remain well dispersed in water within a wide pH range without any tendency for agglomeration as measured by dynamic light scattering.The ζ potential of the nanoparticles was 36.4 and 21.5 mV for pH 4 and 7, respectively. 2SiO 2 nanoparticles can be readily deposited onto plasma treated PP (fabric or planar substrate).In contrast, SiO 2 nanoparticles regardless of their surface functionalization or charge adhere weakly to untreated PP (S. I. Figure 1). Systematic variation of the plasma treatment protocol revealed that it plays only a minor role in the process which is governed instead by the charge density of the nanoparticles.Deposition of nanoparticles with ζ= 36.4 mV to either fabric or plana...

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