Santanu Paria

The solution behaviors of the binary mixture of double chain cationic surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) with nonionic surfactants of varied head groups, EO-9 and EO-40, in the presence and absence of electrolytes were studied and found nonideal behavior. The different physicochemical properties such as Gibb’s surface excess (Γ), minimum area per molecule (A_min), and interaction parameters at bulk (β^M) and interface (β^σ) were calculated. In the presence of nonionic surfactants, lowering of CMC, CVC, and surface tension at these two concentrations of DDAB were observed. The β^M and β^σ values indicate strong interaction between DDAB and EO-40 mixed system. Further, addition of electrolytes to the mixed systems show increased interaction and change of physicochemical properties because of the combination of electrical and salting out effects.

Kaolinite clay supported doped TiO ₂ and anisotropic gold deposited visible light induced plasmonic nanocatalysts for dye degradation and esterification reactions.

Superhydrophobic surfaces are practically important for several real-life applications such as self-cleaning, anti-corrosion and drag reducing surfaces, non-wetting cloths, oil–water separation, water-repellent surfaces and microfluidic devices, etc. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive dip coating technique for the formation of fractal patterns of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles (NPs) on flat surfaces (glass and steel) and a stainless steel mesh, which in turn leads to a superhydrophobic surface after sintering at 250 °C. In this method, a mixture of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMCNa) and oxalic acid was used as a template to organize the NPs into fractal patterns. In general, these patterns play a vital role in creating micro to nano-scale roughness, which is essential for the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces. These PTFE coated surfaces showed an average water contact angle of ∼152° for glass and flat stainless steel surfaces and 154° for the stainless steel mesh. These coated surfaces showed excellent self-cleaning properties. The fabricated superhydrophobic mesh also showed good efficiency for oil–water separation.

Rhombic dodecahedron Au nanoparticles synthesized via a microwave assisted green route with high energy {110} facets are highly efficient for catalysis and metal enhanced fluorescence activities.

A simple and new fabrication method of Ag nanoparticle deposited “urchin-like” structures has been reported by the visible light-induced approach.