Ricerc@Sapienza

Improving energy dissipation in lightweight polymer nanocomposites to achieve environmentally friendly and mechanically stable structures has reached a limit because of the low-density electrostatic interactions that can be harnessed through the stick-slip mechanism between carbonaceous nanofillers and polymeric chains wrapped around them. In this paper, the atomic friction between the two nanocomposite components is greatly amplified by locally increasing the density of the energetically higher noncovalent bonds.

In this work, we developed an impedimetric label-free immunosensor for the detection of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid (2,4-D) herbicide either in standard solution and spiked real samples. For this purpose, we prepared by electropolymerization a conductive polymer poly-(aniline-co-3-aminobenzoic acid) (PANABA) then we immobilized anti-2,4-D antibody onto a nanocomposite AuNPs-PANABA-MWCNTs employing the carboxylic moieties as anchor sites.

Nanocomposite materials containing DNA-functionalized graphene are characterized by multifunctional properties that make them potentially useful for applications in biomedical devices, such as cell-instructive devices, or in radiation monitoring systems. In this work, DNA-graphene fillers were embedded in a silicone-based polymer matrix made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or its mixtures with hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS-OH).

In this work, we focused on the investigation of UV-C radiation effects on novel nanomaterials structured with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and DNA. Multifunctional nanocomposites were realized by combining the good electrical conductivity of GNPs with the biocompatibility and UV sensitivity of double-stranded DNA. GNP/DNA nanostructures were prepared by sonication-driven self-assembly in aqueous solution, and then dispersed into a PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)) matrix.

Graphene-based nanocomposites with multifunctional properties are used as sensing materials in various environments. The integration of the graphene sensing elements into the polymer matrix is not a trivial task, as the overall sensing properties of the material are highly affected by the amount and homogeneity of the filler dispersion. Here we investigate the fabrication process of functional nanocomposite films based on graphene-DNA hybrid complexes embedded in a flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix.

In this study, we report about the preparation of magnetic polymer nanocomposites on the basis of isotactic polypropylene and magnetite Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The structure and composition of polymer nanocomposite materials have been studied by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray dispersive analysis. The magnetic properties of polymer nanocomposites based on PP+Fe3O4have been investigated.