Silver (Ag) ornamented TiO₂ semiconducting nanoparticles were synthesized through the sol-gel process to be utilized as nanofillers with photo resin to enhance the mechanical and thermal properties of stereolithography 3D printed objects. The as-prepared Ag-TiO₂ nanoparticles (Ag-TNP) were typified and qualified by XRD, XPS, Raman, and FESEM; TEM analysis dissected the morphologies. The enhancement in the tensile and flexural strengths of SLR/Ag-TNP nanocomposites was noted as 60.8% and 71.8%, respectively, at the loading content of 1.0% w/w Ag-TNP within the SLR (stereolithography resin) matrix. Similarly, the thermal conductivity and thermal stability were observed as higher for SLR/Ag-TNP nanocomposites, equated to neat SLR. The nanoindentation investigation shows an excerpt hike in reduced modulus and hardness by the inclusion of Ag-TNP. The resulted thermal analysis discloses that the introduction of Ag-TNP can appreciably augment the glass transition temperature (T_g), and residual char yield of SLR nanocomposites remarkably. Hence, the significant incorporation of as-prepared Ag-TNP can act as effective nanofillers to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of photo resin.

Nanomaterials (NMs) have gained tremendous attention in various applications in the modern era. The most significant challenge associated with NMs is their strong propensity to aggregate. The chemical surface modification of NMs has garnered notable attention in managing NM dispersion and aggregation. Among the modification approaches, the silane modification of NMs has generated great interest among researchers as a versatile approach to tailoring the surface characteristics of NMs. This review comprehensively examined the recent advancements in silane modification techniques with a focus on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) applications. It provides an overview of silane chemistry and its interaction with diverse NMs, elucidating the underlying mechanisms governing the successful surface functionalization process. This review emphasized the silane modification, such as improved mechanical properties of composites, enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity, functional coatings, water treatment, textile industries, catalysis, membrane applications, and biomedical applications, of various NMs. In particular, the role of silane-modified NMs in advancing energy harvesting technologies was highlighted, showcasing their potential to enhance the performance and stability of next-generation devices.

Since the last decade, hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) have gained wider theoretical interest and practical applications in sensor technology due to their ease of synthesis, highly branched structure but dimensions within nanoscale, a larger number of modified terminal groups and lowering of viscosity in polymer blends even at higher HBP concentrations. Many researchers have reported the synthesis of HBPs using different organic-based core-shell moieties. Interestingly, silanes, as organic-inorganic hybrid modifiers of HBP, are of great interest as they resulted in a tremendous improvement in HBP properties like increasing thermal, mechanical and electrical properties compared to that of organic-only moieties. This review focuses on the research progress in organofunctional silanes, silane-based HBPs and their applications since the last decade. The effect of silane type, its bi-functional nature, its influence on the final HBP structure and the resultant properties are covered in detail. Methods to enhance the HBP properties and challenges that need to be overcome in the near future are also discussed.

A flexible and portable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) doped with copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 wt.-% w.r.t. PVDF content) was fabricated. The structural and crystalline properties of the as-prepared PVDF-CuO composite membranes were characterized using SEM, FTIR, and XRD. To fabricate the TENG device, the PVDF-CuO was considered a tribo-negative film and the polyurethane (PU) a counter-positive film. The output voltage of the TENG was analyzed using a custom-made dynamic pressure setup, under a constant load of 1.0 kgf and 1.0 Hz frequency. The neat PVDF/PU showed only 1.7 V, which further increased up to 7.5 V when increasing the CuO contents from 2 to 8 wt.-%. A decrease in output voltage to 3.9 V was observed for 10 wt.-% CuO. Based on the above results, further measurements were carried out using the optimal sample (8 wt.-% CuO). Its output voltage performance was evaluated as a function of varying load (1 to 3 kgf) and frequency (0.1 to 1.0 Hz) conditions. Finally, the optimized device was demonstrated in real-time wearable sensor applications, such as human motion and health-monitoring applications (respiration and heart rate).