Alginate extracts help stabilize silicon nanoparticles used in a high-capacity lithium-silicon battery.

We present a condensed overview of the recent developments of novel responsive thin polymer films from end-tethered chains (polymer brushes), which are different from conventional, uniform, and planar brush layers. For this discussion, we selected two types of recently introduced surface layers: binary brush layers with variable chemical composition forming a controllable gradient of composition and properties in a selected direction and brush layers either grafted directly to inorganic nanoparticles to form hybrid core–shell structures or combined with inorganic nanoparticles embedded into this layer. Unlike traditional brush layers, such a design brings a novel set of responsive surface properties allowing for capillary-driven microfluidic motion, combinatorial-like multiplexing response, reversible aggregation and dis-assembly of nanoparticles, fabrication of ultrahydrophobic coatings, and switchable mass transport across interfaces.

Ball milling of polystyrene under ambient conditions in metal containing vials causes scission of macromolecules, resulting in partial dismantling to styrene. Reactions proceeds via intermediate carbon-based free radicals that are detectable by EPR.