Nanomaterials based on metal oxides are extensively studied for several applications due to their versatility. Improvements in their performances can be obtained due to specific structural modifications. One possible modification is by doping the crystal structure, which can affect the materials structure and properties, especially in nanosized particles. Electronic features are among the properties that can be modified through the doping process, consequently morphological and optical parameters can also be controlled by this process. In this sense, this review presents some modifications to tin dioxide (SnO2), one the most studied materials, mainly through the doping process and their impact on several properties. The article starts by describing the SnO2 structural features and the computational models used to explain the role of the doping process on these features. Based on those models, some applications of doped SnO2, such as photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, CO2 reduction, and desulfurization of fossil fuels are presented and discussed. Additionally, the review describes many biological applications related to antimicrobial activity for doped SnO2 and its nanostructures. Although most of the examples presented in this article are based on the doped SnO2, it also presents examples related to SnO2 composites with other nanomaterials forming heterojunctions. The metal oxides SnO2, doped-SnO2 and their nanostructures are promising materials, with results reported in many fields presented in this review, such as theoretical and computational chemistry, environmental remediation, nanoparticle morphology control, fossil fuels improvement, and biomedical applications. Although widely explored, there are still fields for innovation and advances with tin dioxide nanostructures, for example, in transparent conducting oxides, in forensics as materials for latent fingerprints visualization, and sensors in medicine for detection of exhaled volatile organic compounds. Therefore, this article aims to be a reference regarding correlating the doping processes and the properties presented by the SnO2 nanostructures.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a material of choice for many biomedical coating applications. However, such applications are limited due to the toxicity of the traditional solvents used for the solution processing of PMMA coatings and composites. This problem is addressed using an isopropanol-water co-solvent, which allows for the dissolution of high molecular mass PMMA and the fabrication of coatings by a dip-coating method from concentrated PMMA solutions. The use of the co-solvent offers a versatile strategy for PMMA solubilization and coating deposition, despite the insolubility of PMMA in water and isopropanol. Composite coatings are obtained, containing hydroxyapatite, silver oxide, zinc oxide, micron size silica and nanosilica. Such coatings are promising for the manufacturing of implants with enhanced biocompatibility, bioactivity and antimicrobial properties and the fabrication of biosensors. Ibuprofen, tetracycline and amoxicillin are used as model drugs for the fabrication of PMMA-drug composite coatings for drug delivery. The microstructure and composition of the coatings are analyzed. The versatile dip-coating method of this investigation provides a platform for various biomedical applications.

Three-dimensional hybrid organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites are promising photovoltaic and light-emitting materials. A key phenomenon relevant for their optoelectronic applications is electron–phonon coupling. Since it can be strongly modified by structural deformation and changes in the dynamics of molecular cations, it is of great importance to study the temperature dependence of phonon properties of hybrid perovskites. In this work, temperature-dependent Raman scattering studies of FAPbBr3 and MAPbBr3 single crystals are reported in the 1800–22 cm−1 and 300–90 K ranges. The Raman data of MAPbBr3 showed clear anomalies near 236, 155 and 148 K, which were attributed to Pm3¯m→I4/mcm→P4/mmm (or Imma)→Pnma phase transitions. They also provided strong evidence that crystal structure of the phase stable in the 155–148 K range is very similar to structure of the I4/mcm phase, not structure of the lowest-temperature Pmna phase, as suggested in some reports. Therefore, the symmetry of this phase seems to be more likely P4/mmm rather than Imma. An analysis of the temperature evolution of MAPbBr3 Raman modes revealed that the phase transitions near 236 and 155 K are associated with weak distortion of the inorganic subnetwork and changes in the dynamics of MA+ ions. Very pronounced changes in the lattice modes region and a narrowing of bands below 148 K indicated that the phase transition to the Pnma phase is triggered by a freezing of MA+ motions, which in turn leads to strong distortion of the inorganic subnetwork. Raman studies of FAPbBr3 showed that this material behaves in a very different way than MAPbBr3. First of all, the molecular dynamics of FA+ cations are not frozen even in the lowest-temperature Pnma phase. Moreover, the distortion of the inorganic subnetwork is small in the Pnma phase. The observation of weak anomalies in the lattice modes region confirmed, however, that the two crystallographically resolved phase transitions (Pm3¯m→P4/mbm near 260 K and P4/mbm→Pnma near 150 K) lead to weak distortion of the inorganic subnetwork. On the other hand, an analysis of FA+ internal modes indicated that these transitions, as well as two other crystallographically unresolved transitions near 120 and 180 K, are triggered by a change of FA+ dynamics.

In many cases of heat treatment of steel products, the heated charge has a porous structure. The examples of such charges include bundles of long steel components e.g., bars. The basic thermal property of the charge in this form is effective thermal conductivity kef. This paper presents the results of experimental examinations of effective thermal conductivity of the porous charge, which is composed from various types of steel long components. Due to the specific nature of the samples, a special measurement stand was constructed based on the design of a guarded hot plate apparatus. The measurements were performed for sixteen different samples across a temperature range of 70–640 °C. The porosity of the samples, depending on the type of components used, ranged from 0.03 to 0.85. Depending on these factors, the effective thermal conductivity ranged from 1.75 to 8.19 W·m−1·K−1. This accounts for 0.03 to 0.25 of the value of thermal conductivity of the solid phase of the charge, which in the described cases was low-carbon steel. It was found that the effective thermal conductivity rises linearly with temperature. The intensity of this increase and the value of coefficient kef depend on the transverse dimension of the components that form the charge. The results may represent the basis for the validation of various models of effective thermal conductivity with respect to the evaluation of thermal properties of the porous charge.

A systematic study of the thermal decomposition of hybrid perovskites of formula [AH][M(HCOO)3] under inert atmosphere was performed by means of thermogravimetry and simultaneous infrared spectroscopy of the evolved gases. The influence of: (i) the metal ion of the [M(HCOO)3]- framework and (ii) the guest [AH]+ cation, in the composition of the final residue was evaluated. In this work, it has been demonstrated that these materials can be used as precursors of metal or metal-oxide compounds—obtained free of carbon—, and that the composition of the final residue is determined by the standard reduction potential of the metal cation of the framework.

Double doped layered double hydroxide thin films were developed directly on the aluminum substrate in two steps: Initially cerium-based MgAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) were synthesized directly on the anodic aluminum surface via the in situ growth method, and were then modified with the stearate anions through an ion-exchange mechanism to achieve compact multifunctional protective thin films. The structural and morphological characteristics of the developed LDH films were investigated, and the surface contact angle measurements (CA) and self-cleaning properties were analyzed. The obtained double doped LDH film displayed the superhydrophobic characteristic with a water contact angle of ~155°. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic behavior of LDH on exposure to UV radiation (λ = 310 nm) was examined to evaluate outdoor applications. Long-term Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was performed to understand the corrosion resistance properties. The introduction of double doped LDHs demonstrates significantly higher corrosion resistance properties than only cerium-modified LDHs and has shown superior stability against 0.1 M NaCl solution.

Because of the rapid development of nanotechnologies, materials, in particular, solid dispersions (SDs), which are actively introduced into the life of modern man, have been obtained. Special progress in this area is observed in industry and medicine. The use of SDs in agriculture is lagging far behind, despite the growing number of scientific papers on this topic. At the same time, the prospects for the introduction of SDs in the agro-industrial complex are obvious. The review presents the results of research on the development of innovative preparations based on SD to protect plants from diseases and pests of cultivated plants, as well as parasiticides to protect animal health based on modern achievements of nanotechnology. One of these technologies is the methods of mechanochemistry, which improve the properties of poorly soluble biologically active substances by their joint mechanical treatment with water-soluble polymers and auxiliary substances.

Framework silicates form about 70% of the Earth’s crust, mainly feldspars ~50–60% and quartz ~10–15%. Less-abundant feldspathoids include nepheline-, leucite-, and sodalite-group minerals, rich in structurally challenging properties. This review paper deals with anhydrous feldspar-, nepheline-, and leucite/pollucite groups, emphasising the importance of parallel studies on natural and synthetic samples. Four topics are covered. For decades, petrologists have analysed nephelines and recalculated their compositions as endmember molecules but, by not following rules of stuffed-tridymite crystal chemistry, have not estimated reliably the excess SiO2 present in solid solution. Some materials scientists make similar mistakes, and a new approach is described here. Synthesis studies of analogue feldspars, nephelines, and leucite/pollucites led to collaborative studies, mainly using laboratory and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction methods at room and elevated temperatures, to study thermal expansion and displacive phase transitions. Such work was recently expanded to address the spontaneous strain relations. Topics covered here include work on nepheline/kalsilite analogues in the system SrAl2O4—BaAl2O4; thermal expansion of (K,Na)Al-, RbAl-, RbGa-, and SrAl-feldspars; and thermal expansion and phase transitions in analogue leucites KGaSi2O6 (tetragonal to cubic) and K2MgSi5O12 (monoclinic to orthorhombic). Results are reviewed in the context of research published in mineralogical and more-widely in physical sciences journals.

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