Preparation and Characterization of Polystyrene/TiO2 Core-Shell Nanospheres via Suspension Technique

In the present work, at first, nanoTiO2particles in anatase form were effectively surface modified via reacting with NCO groups of 4,4-methylenediphenyl disocyanate (MDI). Secondly, a solution of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) (0.1 g) in inhibitor-free styrene (10 g) was poured into a 150 mL flask containing poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) suspending agent (0.1 g) in deionized water (60 mL) under N2flow, while stirring. The reaction mixture was then heated to 80 °C, and stirred for another 1 h. Next, it was divided to two portions; one for the synthesis of pure PS, and the other for the synthesis of PS/TiO2nanocomposites. Each aqueous portion was individually mixed with dichloromethane in a separating funnel. For PS/TiO2nanocomposites, the organic phase was charged with nanoTiO2particles (MDI-treated and/or untreated) (0.05 g), and then fully homogenized using ultrasonic homogenizer. Methanol non solvent was eventually used to precipitate the products. All samples involving pure PS, PS/surface modified TiO2nanocomposite, and PS/surface unmodified TiO2nanocomposite were thoroughly washed, filtered, and dried in vacuum at 50 °C for 12 h. From SEM images a core-shell relation could be clearly detected between the nanoTiO2particles and PS matrix. Meanwhile, the surface modified TiO2was dispersed into the PS matrix with better homogeneity compared to that of unmodified one. Undoubtedly, beside the surface modification factor, PVA suspending agent as an effective nanosized particle stabilizer, too, played a basic role in this high homogeneity. Also, FT-IR and XRD analyses led to promising results.