Page 20 - CFM-Annual Newsletter 2021

Recent Findings

• Structural, optical, and magnetic properties of vacuum annealed Fe, Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles
Applied Physics 127, 49 (2021)

B. Balaraju, S. Kaleemulla, D. Chakraborty, and C. K. Kunapalli
Here authors investigated Fe, Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles
suitable for storage device applications. The finding shows that

samples annealed in the presence of hydrogen/ vacuum lead
to enhancement in the magnetic moment than the one
annealed in the presence of air. Based on their observation,

they concluded that the ferromagnetism observed was directly
proportional to oxygen concentration. Furthermore, they
showed that the oxygen vacancy variation depends on the

charge carrier concentration. Consequently, oxygen vacancies
also influence the magnetization and demagnetization process.

• Studies on the surface and wetting properties of polyvinylidene fluoride/polyacrylonitrile/
multiwalled carbon nanotube-NH2 blends as a function of air plasma treatment
Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 30, 7343 (2021)

E. Dhanumalayan, Girish M. Joshi, S. Kaleemulla, M. Teresa Cuberes, and R. R. Deshmukh
The work of adhesion (WAD) is reversible work done
to separate two different interfaces in contact. The

article demonstrates an effective modification of the
surface of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/
polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/NH2 functionalized multiwall

carbon nanotube (MWCNT). Water contact angle measurement shows that the surfaces were transformed
from hydrophobic to hydrophilic within a short plasma treatment time. The increase in surface energy
and adhesion work also supports hydrophilicity. The findings also show that the plasma treatment

enhances the WAD as the contact angle drops to a lower value. As a result, the contact between the
interfacing medium is strong enough to achieve a higher WAD. The WAD factor is considered of potential
importance in coatings, printing, adhesives, and ink industries. Therefore, the advantage of air plasma

treatment to render hydrophilicity is regarded. Besides, the I.R. analysis showed a change in the chemical
functionality of the surface. In particular, the nitrile groups (–C" N) of PAN and MWCNT-NH2 were
modified by air plasma treatment. Furthermore, the RMS roughness study by AFM indicates a

considerable increase in the roughness of the samples after the treatment. Further inferred that all of these
characteristic changes were contributed by air plasma treatment which rendered the hydrophilic state of
the surfaces.
CFM Newsletter Jan. – Dec. 2021 20 Issue – 1