SURFACE MODIFICATION OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLES WITH ACRYLIC ACID/ISOBUTYLENE COPOLYMER UNDER ULTRASONIC TREATMENT.

The influence of the ultrasonic treatment of block copolymer solution on its solid-liquid interface behavior was investigated in detail. The surface modification of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in aqueous dispersions of specially tailor-made periodic acrylic acid/isobutylene copolymer by ultrasonic treatment was studied in order to get new approaches for the creation of hybrid composite materials or polymer coatings. The pigment surface modification by the above copolymer was comparatively investigated regarding conventional adsorption as contrasted to an ultrasonic treatment assisted procedure. The course and efficiency of the polymer adsorption onto the pigment surface were quantified by electrokinetic sonic amplitude measurements. The higher efficiency of the pigment surface coating by the copolymer as achieved by ultrasonic treatment in comparison to conventional adsorption is a consequence of ultrasonically induced pigment surface activation. Two perspective avenues of the utilization of the discovered effects for creation of organic-inorganic composite materials are anticipated: the nanoparticles could first be treated by ultrasound in the presence of polymers and so create a surface modifying coating and the second option is an entrainment of the nanoparticles into the monomer matrix which can be polymerized afterward yielding a polymer with immobilized nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]