Strategies for Surface Modification of Nanoparticles Used in Catalysis: A Comprehensive Review Akansha Agrwal, Neakanshika Chadha, Priyanka Rai, Sweta Shukla, Vipin Kumar Chemistryselect, 2025 Surface functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs) is a rapidly advancing strategy aimed atenhancing their catalytic performance by modifying their surface through physical or chemical methods. This review presents a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the functionalization of NPs, with a particular focus on their catalytic applications. Nanoparticles possess unique properties—such as high surface area‐to‐volume ratios, tunable surface chemistry, low toxicity, and recyclability—that make them highly attractive for diverse catalytic processes. However, challenges such as high surface energy, oxidation, and rapid agglomeration often hinder their practical application. Surface modification with organic or inorganic moieties improves the physicochemical stability, dispersibility, and catalytic efficiency of NPs, overcoming many of these limitations. Special attention is given to iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), which have emerged as promising candidates due to their magnetic properties, ease of synthesis, and surface modifiability. This review discusses various functionalization strategies, materials used, and their impact on the catalytic behavior of IONPs and other nanomaterials. Although numerous studies have explored the synthesis and application of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, comprehensive reviews on surface functionalization strategies—particularly in the context of catalysis—remain scarce. Addressing this gap, the present work aims to provide a detailed evaluation of functionalization techniques and their role in expanding the catalytic potential of nanomaterials.
Synthesis, Kinetics and Mathematical Modelling of Environment Friendly Acrylate-Based Binder Sweta Shukla, Prachi Jain, Soniya Juneja Journal of Environmental Nanotechnology, 2024 The copolymers consisting of acrylic and methacrylic esters have achieved prime importance due to their versatile applications. Copolymerization of Methyl meth acrylate (MMA) with butyl acrylate has been carried out for modifying the properties of the polymer. Dynamic swelling kinetics were conducted at room temperatures to investigate the synthesized binder's swelling properties for paint industries. The experimental swelling curves were analyzed using three different models: Peleg's model, the first-order absorption kinetic model, and the exponential association equation model. All of these models demonstrated excellent agreement with the experimental data, as indicated by high R-Square values and low values for Chi Square, Sum of Squared Errors (SSE), and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). Comparing the determination coefficients for these models, it was concluded that the Peleg model provides a better representation of the swelling characteristics across various concentrations of the crosslinker in the polymer. Specifically, the Peleg model exhibited high R-Square values of 0.98121, 0.9869, and 0.97605 for 0%, 5%, and 10% PPGDA concentrations, respectively. Furthermore, it yielded reduced chi-square values of 1.44546, 0.74895, and 0.86587 and root mean square error values of 1.202, 0.8654, and 0.9305 for the same respective concentrations. These results establish the Peleg model as the most favorable choice for characterizing the swelling behavior with different cross linker concentrations in the polymer. The prepared latexes are used as binder for environment friendly coatings.
Structural, Electronic Structure, and Photovoltaic Studies of MgO/TiO2/ITO Heterostructures Deepika Gaur, Sunita Sharma, Aditya Sharma, Dhirendra Kumar Sharma, Sweta Shukla Journal of Electronic Materials, 2022 This study describes the mechanism of interfacial interaction of the MgO layer with TiO 2 films and demonstrates the modification in optical and photovoltaic properties of MgO/TiO 2 /ITO heterostructures. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, and x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) at O K-edge, Mg K-edge, and Ti K-edge have been employed to characterize the MgO/TiO 2 /ITO heterostructures. The photovoltaic properties of heterostructures are studied using a solar simulator. FESEM results confirmed the spherical shape of MgO and TiO 2 nanoparticles. Hybridization among the frontier orbitals of O, Mg, and Ti and the presence of Mg 2+ and Ti 4+ ions are confirmed by XANES studies. Assimilation of the MgO layer on TiO 2 film resulted in a significant enhancement in the absorbance characteristics. The MgO film, deposited with maximum spin-coating speed 5000 rpm, exhibited the highest fill factor (FF=0.78), high short-circuit current ( I sc = 12.20 mA/cm 2 ), and open-circuit voltage ( V oc = 0.93 V). The mechanism of high FF in MgO/TiO 2 /ITO structures has been discussed by considering the transparency and electron scavenging from the heterostructures.
A comparative study on the effect of higher acrylate on cross-linkable PMMA used as environment friendly latexes Sweta Shukla High Performance Polymers, 2020 The kinetics of emulsion polymerization of monomers methyl methacrylate (MMA)/ n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) was studied to investigate the effect of cross-linkable monomer poly(propylene glycol diacrylate) (PPGDA). The results showed that by the incorporation of PPGDA rate constant of reaction decreased. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope were used to characterize the synthesized polymers. The thermal analysis of samples was done by differential scanning calorimetry, and the results were compared by the previous studies with MMA/ n-butyl acrylate (BA) and MMA/2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA). The glass transition temperature ( T g) values show that the latexes prepared using BA and EHA as comonomer was suitable for binder purpose, but in the present study the T g is not suitable in case of BMA as higher acrylate comonomer. That may be due to more cross-linking in MMA-BMA-PPGDA. The results conclude that the BA and EHA can be used as the binder, but the use of BMA is limited for the binder in coating applications.
