Polymer-SiO₂ Composites II

Dear Colleagues,

Silica is a common, particularly attractive material that is all around us. Silicon and oxygen are the two most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust, and their combination, silica, has been used in various fields. The bond enthalpy of Si–O is much larger than that of the C–O bond, rendering the thermal stability of silica, and its larger bond angle and longer bond length provide bond flexibility. In addition, uncondensed OH groups (silanol) on the silica surface make it easy for silica to connect with other materials, such as organic compounds, metal oxides, and metals. 

Through the hybridization of silica with suitable materials, polymer/SiO₂ composites can be customized in many ways to meet the needs of new cutting-edge technologies. For example, investigations on their applications in sensors, photoactive materials, filters, anodes in lithium-ion batteries, drug delivery systems, catalysts, and biocompatible materials have been conducted.

This Special Issue will cover, but will not be limited to, the following aspects of polymer/SiO₂ composite chemistry and technology: novel preparation methods for polymer/SiO₂ composites; mechanism of formation of polymer/SiO₂ composites; novel micro- and macrostructural analysis of polymer/SiO₂ composites; novel chemical and physical properties of polymer/SiO₂ composites; and applications of polymer/SiO₂ composites.

Prof. Dr. Hyeon Mo Cho
Guest Editor

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• silica-based polymer
• SiO₂-based polymer
• polymer
• composite
• sol-gel
• organic–inorganic composite