We report the fabrication of high-performance metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) with AlOx gate dielectrics using combustion chemistry in a solution process to provide energy to convert oxide precursors into oxides at low temperatures.

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Using a simple, rapid solvent evaporation process, the authors produced 3D carbon nanotube (CNT)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) foams with both high thermoelectric (TE) and good mechanical performance and used them to fabricate highly flexible and durable TE generators. The numerous pores and interfaces in the CNT/PDMS foams, which have porosities exceeding 87%, afford very low thermal conductivity of 0.13 W m−1 K−1. The foam has a zT value of 6.6 × 10−3, which is twice as high as that of pristine CNT foam. Importantly, the CNT/PDMS foam exhibits good tensile strength of 0.78 MPa, elongation greater than 20%, and excellent resilience even at compressive strain of 80%. This foam is used to fabricate a highly flexible TE foam generator that exhibits a moderate output power of 1.9 µW generated from the large temperature gradient of 18.1 K produced by applied heat. The authors also demonstrate a practical TE foam generator that produces sustainable output power of 3.1 µW under a compressive strain of 80% and 38.2 nW under the continuous vibrational stress produced by a car engine. The TE foam generator also exhibits excellent stability and durability under cyclic bending and harsh vibrational stress.

Nanocomposites were prepared from acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR), vinyl groups containing organically modified montmorillonite and additives, such as zinc oxide, stearic acid, and sulfur. The organically modified montmorillonites used in these nanocomposites were prepared by ion exchange reactions of N,N′-dimethylalkyl-(p-vinylbenzyl)-ammonium chlorides (DAVBAs, alkyl =  octyl, dodecyl, and octadecyl) with sodium montmorillonite (Na+-MMT). NBR nanocomposites were obtained by controlling both the mixing and vulcanization conditions, by using a Brabender mixer and hot-press process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that, depending on the amount of montmorillonite that is added, both exfoliated and intercalated nanocomposite structures are formed. The NBR/DAVBA-MMT nanocomposites exhibit much higher mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength, Young’s modulus, 300% modulus, and hardness) as well as gas barrier properties as compared to NBR Na+-MMT or NBR composites generated from modified montmorillonites without vinyl groups. Consistent with the results of XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the intercalation and exfoliation structures of the nanocomposites coexist and that the DAVBA-MMT layers are well dispersed in NBR.