Open AccessSurface modification of nanoparticles with octadecyl trichlorosilane and its effects on photocatalytic activity
Author(s) -
Qian Jianhua,
Ma Quanliang,
Xu Jiasheng
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2012.0930
Subject(s) - trichlorosilane , absorbance , photocatalysis , materials science , rhodamine b , nanoparticle , nanomaterials , surface modification , titanium dioxide , thermogravimetric analysis , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , ultraviolet , chemical engineering , photochemistry , catalysis , nanotechnology , chemistry , optoelectronics , chromatography , organic chemistry , silicon , composite material , engineering
The surfaces of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles were modified with octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS) as a coupling agent in different conditions. In order to improve the nanoparticles' dispersion and transform the interactions between nanoparticles in different conditions, the grafting of OTS on the TiO 2 nanoparticles' surface was characterised by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared techniques. An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer was employed to evaluate the absorbance of UV‐light in the wavelength range of 200–900 nm. To assess the light catalytic activity, UV/vis diffuse reflectance spectra were applied to detect the absorbance of Rhodamine B, which was absorbed in the dark and degraded under a lamp. An effective method has been provided to improve photocatalytic activity, which may also be applied to the modification of other nanomaterials.