?
The effect of ultrasonication of polymer solutions on the performance of hybrid perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes with SiO2 nanoparticles
Reactive and Functional Polymers. 2021. Vol. 165. Article 104959.
Perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes are widely used as ion-conducting electrolytes in energy-conversion devices. The development of novel hybrid materials containing inorganic dopants offers the route towards optimization of the performance of the PFSA membranes. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic (US) treatment of the PFSA solutions in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles on the characteristics of the cast hybrid Nafion+SiO2 membranes was studied for the first time. Upon ultrasonication of polymer solutions, the length of macromolecules is reduced, and the number of sulfo groups decreases. When polymer solutions are ultrasonicated in the presence of SiO2, they experience additional crosslinking due to the interaction of SiO2 with sulfo groups of the PFSA polymer. As a result, up to 20% of -SO3H groups appears to be excluded from the ion-exchange process, and the temperature corresponding to destabilization of ionic clusters is reduced. When a hydrophilic dopant is incorporated within pores, the overall water uptake of the hybrid membranes increases, and their proton conductivity is improved. Maximum conductivity (78.6 mS/cm) at 40°С in the contact with water is observed for the Nafion+1 wt% SiO2 membrane cast from polymer solutions upon the ultrasonication for 10 min. The membranes preserve their high conductivity at low relative humidity (4.1 mS/cm at 30°С, 30% RH), and this value is 1.7 times higher than that of the pristine Nafion membrane. Hydrogen permeability of the hybrid Nafion+SiO2 membranes appears to be lower than that of the Nafion membranes by 15%. Hence, US-assisted dispersion of dopant nanoparticles in the PFSA solutions allows preparation of hybrid membranes with improved transport characteristics.
Budkov Y., Journal of Chemical Physics 2026 Vol. 165 No. 9 Article 094902
We derive the stress tensor of a flexible polymer solution within the Gaussian-chain self-consistent field theory (SCFT) without invoking the ground-state dominance (GSD) approximation. Starting from a covariant formulation of the single-chain partition function in a background metric, we obtain the symmetric stress tensor expressed through the full Edwards propagators. The result contains the local ...
Added: September 2, 2026
Zhukov A., Liang Y., Zhang X. et al., ACS Applied Nano Materials 2026 Vol. 9 No. 32 P. 15224–15232
The development of high-light-yield scintillators based on perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) is hindered by their intrinsic instability and aggregation, which severely limits their long-term operational reliability and integration into polymeric matrices. Silica coating has been demonstrated as an effective strategy to enhance the stability of PQDs. However, achieving fast and uniform silica encapsulation on individual ...
Added: August 27, 2026
Zhukov A., Kryzhanovskaya N., Moiseev E. et al., Nature 2026 Vol. 656 P. 80–85
Reaching lasing in electrically pumped microdevices based on solution-processed
semiconductors poses a substantial scientific and technological challenge. Halide
perovskites offer a promising platform for electrical injection1, as their optically
excited single-crystal cavities2–4 and predesigned5,6 or postprocessed microstructures7,8
have exhibited low lasing threshold. Indirect electrical pumping of a dual-cavity
perovskite laser was recently obtained9, using a well-established technological
concept of embedding a ...
Added: August 27, 2026
Belousov Y., Кискин М. А., Sidoruk A. et al., Australian Journal of Chemistry 2022 Vol. 75 No. 9 P. 572–580
Four new complexes [Ln(pfaa)3(H2O)2]n (Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2)) and [Ln2Cd2(pfaa)10 (phen)2(EtOH)2]·2MeCN (Ln = Eu (3), Tb (4), phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) based on pentaphorphenylacetic acid (Hpfaa) have been prepared and completely investigated. The structures of compounds 1 and 3 were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis: the isostructural complexes 1 and 2 represent ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Mazur D., Petr E. Brandyshev, Doronin S. et al., Electrochimica Acta 2026 Vol. 577 Article 149729
The electric double layer (EDL) at a single-crystal metal surface is controlled not only by the electrolyte composition and the electrode potential, but also by the atomic structure of the surface itself. This makes the Ag(hkl)/NaF interface a stringent test for continuum theories of the EDL. In the third part of our series, we examine ...
Added: August 20, 2026
Budkov Y., Kalikin N., Journal of Chemical Physics 2026 Vol. 165 Article 064506
A self-consistent statistical-mechanical theory of the Hall effect in electrolyte solutions is developed by extending the self-consistent Debye–Hückel–Onsager (SCDHO) framework to crossed electric and magnetic fields. The theory incorporates non-local ionic charge distributions via Slater-type form factors, regularizing the Coulomb interaction at short range, and accounts for dielectric friction through ion-specific coefficients, employing experimental values ...
Added: August 12, 2026
Novikov A., New Journal of Chemistry 2026 Vol. 50 P. 13931–13957
The rational design of coinage metal nanocarriers requires a mechanistic understanding of metal-drug binding and predictive descriptors that translate molecular interactions into design rules. Using DFT (B3LYP-D3BJ/def2-TZVP, SMD water), we systematically investigated the binding of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and levodopa (l-DOPA) to neutral and cationic homo- and heteronuclear dimers of Au, Ag, and Cu (Au2, Ag2, ...
Added: August 12, 2026
Voropaeva D., S. Novikova, I. Stenina et al., Solid State Ionics 2026 Vol. 445 Article 117288
Composite gel polymer electrolytes based on a perfluorinated sulfonic acid cation-exchange MF-4SC membrane
containing surface-sulfonated nanoparticles of aluminum oxide, cerium (IV) oxide, and titanium oxide (sAl2O3,
sCeO2, and sTiO2, respectively) were prepared by casting from a dispersion in N,N-dimethylformamide and
plasticized with a 1,3-dioxolane/1,2-dimethoxyethane mixture. The influence of the filler nature on ionic conductivity,
solvent uptake, activation energy, lithium ...
Added: July 30, 2026
Korogod D., Shapeev A., Ivan S. Novikov, Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 2026 Vol. 114 No. 2 Article 024104
We present two models with explicit long-range electrostatics in the form of Coulomb interactions. Both models include point charges depending on their local atomic environments, and the second model also conserves a total charge of an atomic system. We combine the proposed long-range models with the local moment tensor potential (MTP) and demonstrate that they ...
Added: July 22, 2026
V.I. Voitovich, I.S. Makhov, Andryushkin V. V. et al., Journal of Luminescence 2026 Vol. 295 Article 121936
We report on a comparative study of the optical and structural properties of short-period superlattices (SPSLs) based on digital ternary InGaAs/InAlAs alloys and their counterparts with quaternary InGaAlAs barriers, both grown on InP substrates and emitting in the 1.3 μm wavelength range. The heterostructures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and analyzed using photoluminescence spectroscopy ...
Added: July 8, 2026
Babichev A., Bobrov M., Vasil'ev A. et al., Applied Physics Letters 2026 Vol. 128 No. 24 Article 241102
High-quality planar cavities with low-absorption mirrors based on Al0.2Ga0.8As/Al0.9Ga0.1As layers demonstrate continuous wave lasing at a wavelength of 956 nm. At 300 K, the threshold power density and the quality-factor at the threshold are 4.2 kW/cm2 and 6800. Increasing the pump level above two thresholds results in an enlargement in the quality-factor to at least 19 ...
Added: July 8, 2026
Moshkina E., Molokeev M., Zolotov A. et al., Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2026 Vol. 1077 Article 189412
A wide series of substitutions in a subsystem of small radii cations M = Al, Cr, Fe, Ga, Sc is possible in rare-earth borates ReM3(BO3)4 with the huntite structure. However, the existence of these compounds where M = Mn still raises doubts. The study presents a synthetic approach developed in the framework of the flux method allowing for the required ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Schneider M., Zaripov D., Dokin R. et al., Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 2026 Vol. 22 No. 9 P. 4405–4414
Density functional theory (DFT) is the workhorse of modern reactions and materials modeling. While the exact functional remains unknown, many approximations to it have been constructed either by hand-crafting functional forms to satisfy exact constraints or by machine learning. In this work, we show how both of these approaches can be fused to build both ...
Added: June 26, 2026
Laurinavichyute V., Levin E. E., Mironkova A. A. et al., Surfaces and Interfaces 2026 Vol. 81 Article 108389
In this work we characterize mixed Mo-W acidic deposition solutions with Mo content ranging from 0 to 100 mol.% by Raman and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The obtained distribution diagram of mixed isopolyanions allows one to explain the observed change in film deposition rate with increase in Mo content. It was found that the initial decrease in ...
Added: June 24, 2026
Tarasova N., Bedarkova A., Animitsa I. et al., International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2023 Vol. 48 No. 59 P. 22522–22530
Proton-conducting electrochemical devices such as protonic ceramic fuel cells and pro- tonic ceramic electrolysis cells play a major role in the creation of eco-friendly “green” energy systems. The most studies of proton-conducting materials for these devices are barium cerate zirconates. The layered perovskites are novel class of proton-conducting materials. In this paper, the possibility of ...
Added: December 18, 2025
Tarasova N., Abakumova E., Kuznetsova T. et al., Ceramics International 2024 Vol. 50 No. 20 P. 40445–40452
The search for novel functional ceramic materials with targeted properties is currently very important. Complex oxides with perovskite or perovskite-related structure are being considered for the production of electrochemical devices for the hydrogen energy ecosystem. Layered perovskites including based on BaLaInO4 are promising materials for proton-conducting electrolyte of solid oxide fuel cells. The idea of ...
Added: December 18, 2025
Zhigileva E. A., Enakieva Y. Y., Sinelshchikova A. A. et al., Dalton Transactions 2023 Vol. 52 No. 24 P. 8237–8246
Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) possessing high crystallinity, simple synthetic procedure and easy regeneration provide high efficiency as multifunctional systems, including applications as proton conductors. Porphyrinylphosphonates having acidic moieties, which can form multiple hydrogen bonds, together with tunable physical–chemical properties of a macrocycle may significantly improve the proton conductivity of such materials. Herein, the synthesis, characterization ...
Added: January 21, 2025
Ulyana M. Zavorotnaya, Gudkov Y., Ponomarev I. et al., Ionics 2025 Vol. 31 P. 1891–1907
Impedance spectroscopy was used to study proton conductivity changing of pre-dried sulfonated perfluorinated and hydrocarbon (polynaphtoleimide) membranes over time during their hydration. For this purpose, commercial perfluorinated membranes Nafion 212, Nafion 211, Gore 18 and hydrocarbon co-polynaphthoyleneimide (co-PNIS) membranes with different hydrophobicity blocks (ODAS/MDAC and ODAS/MDOT) synthesized in this work were used. It was found ...
Added: January 15, 2025
Baldin E., Lyskov N., Vorobieva G. et al., Energies 2023 Vol. 16 No. 15 Article 5637
We report a study of nanophases in the La2O3–MO3 (M = Mo, W) systems, which are known to contain a variety of good oxygen-ion and proton conductors. Mechanically activated La2O3 + MO3 (M = Mo, W) mixtures and the final ceramics have been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) with Rietveld ...
Added: July 31, 2023
Рыжкин М. И., Рыжкин И. А., Кашин А. М. et al., Письма в Журнал экспериментальной и теоретической физики 2020 Т. 112 № 7-8(10) С. 531–538
The pressure dependence of the proton conductivity of water ice is studied theoretically. It is shown that the decrease in the hydrogen bond length leads to the decrease in the formation energy of ionic defects and to the increase in the formation energy of bond defects. As a result, the partial conductivity of ionic defects, ...
Added: October 31, 2022
Zavorotnaya U., Igor I. Ponomarev, Volkova Y. et al., Materials 2020 Vol. 22 No. 13 Article 5297
The sulfonated polynaphthoyleneimide polymer (co-PNIS70/30) was prepared by copolymerization of 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether-2,2′-disulfonic acid (ODAS) and 4,4’-methylenebisanthranilic acid (MDAC) with ODAS/MDAC molar ratio 0.7/0.3. High molecular weight co-PNIS70/30 polymers were synthesized either in phenol or in DMSO by catalytic polyheterocyclization in the presence of benzoic acid and triethylamine. The titration reveals the ion-exchange capacity of the polymer ...
Added: October 20, 2022
Yurova P., Yaroslavtsev A. B., Ashrafi A. et al., Reactive and Functional Polymers 2021 Vol. 165 Article 104959
Perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes are widely used as ion-conducting electrolytes in
energy-conversion devices. The development of novel hybrid materials containing inorganic dopants offers the
route towards optimization of the performance of the PFSA membranes. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic (US)
treatment of the PFSA solutions in the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles on the characteristics ...
Added: September 16, 2022
Enakieva Y., Zhigileva E., Fitch A. et al., Dalton Transactions 2021 Vol. 50 P. 6549–6560
The rational design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) is highly important for the development of new
proton conductors. Porphyrinylphosphonate-based MOFs, providing the directed tuning of physical and
chemical properties of materials through the modification of a macrocycle, are potentially high-conducting
systems. In this work the synthesis and characterization of novel anionic Zn-containing MOF based on
palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(3-(phosphonatophenyl))porphyrinate, IPCE-2Pd, are reported. ...
Added: October 19, 2021
Enakieva Y., Sinelshchikova A., Grigoriev M. et al., Chemistry - A European Journal 2021 Vol. 27 P. 1598–1602
A novel metal–organic framework [Zn3(Ni-H2TPPP)(Ni-H4TPPP)(Ni-H5TPPP)·7(CH3)2NH2·DMF·7H2O]
(where Ni-HxTPPP (x=2,4,5) are partially deprotonated [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3-(phosphonatophenyl)-porphyrinato(
2-))]nickel(II) species), IPCE-2Ni, with outstanding proton conductivity (1.0V10@2 Scm@1 at 75 8C and 95%
relative humidity) has been obtained. The high concentration of free phosphonate groups and compensating dimethylammonium cations bound by hydrogen bonds in the unique crystal structure of IPCE-2Ni is a key factor responsible for the observed high proton conductivity, ...
Added: October 19, 2021