Premium
Characterization of in situ prepared nanocomposites of PS and TIO 2 nanoparticles surface modified with alkyl gallates: Effect of alkyl chain length
Author(s) -
Džunuzović Enis S.,
Džunuzović Jasna V.,
Radoman Tijana S.,
MarinovićCincović Milena T.,
Nikolić Ljubiša B.,
Jeremić Katarina B.,
Nedeljković Jovan M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.22423
Subject(s) - materials science , alkyl , nanoparticle , nanocomposite , thermal stability , polystyrene , chemical engineering , dispersity , surface modification , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , polymer chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , polymer , nanotechnology , chemistry , engineering
Incorporation of surface modified TiO 2 nanoparticles into polystyrene (PS) matrix was achieved by in situ bulk radical polymerization of styrene. The surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles was modified with four amphiphilic esters of the gallic acid (octyl, decyl, lauryl and cetyl gallate), which have different lengths of hydrophobic alkyl chain (C8–C16). FTIR and UV‐Vis spectroscopy measurements confirmed the formation of a charge transfer complex between surface Ti atoms and gallic esters. Microstructural characterization of the synthesized nanocomposites revealed that the best dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles in PS was achieved when the TiO 2 surface was modified with octyl gallate. The presence of surface modified TiO 2 nanoparticles by different alkyl gallates does not have an influence on the molecular weight and glass transition temperature of PS matrix. On the other hand, thermal and thermo‐oxidative stability of PS were significantly improved by incorporation of surface modified TiO 2 nanoparticles. The most pronounced improvement of thermal and thermo‐oxidative stability was observed for TiO 2 nanoparticles surface modified with octyl gallate. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers