Macromolecular nature of nanosheets of quasi-TiO2 from (tetra-isopropyl)orthotitanate modified by methacrylic acid

• Published in: Polymers for advanced technologies Vol. 20; no. 12; pp. 1174 - 1178
• Main Authors: Wojciechowski, Piotr, Halamus, Tomasz, Sadowska, Maja, Bobowska, Izabela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.12.2009
• Subjects: Crystallites; Decomposition; hydrogel; Hydrogen peroxide; Light absorption; luminescence; Methacrylic acid; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; optical anisotropy; photophysics; Raman spectroscopy; titanate nanosheets; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 1042-7147; 1099-1581; 1099-1581
• DOI: 10.1002/pat.1396

In this paper we concentrate on the general behavior of oxotitanium hydrosol, which was earlier developed by us as a precursor of the TiO2 nanoparticles and nanocomposite. The oxotitanium hydrosol was synthesized by the chemical decomposition of a molecular complex of the methacrylic acid/(tetra‐isopropyl)orthotitanate (MAA/TIPT) by means of the hydrogen peroxide. The raw product chemical decomposition of MAA/TIPT is the colloidal suspension of the oxotitanium compound in the water. The oxotitanium compound was separated from hydrosol and identified on the basis of X‐ray and Raman spectroscopy investigations. The status of water in the hydrosol was also investigated by the Raman spectroscopy. The photophysical behaviors of the oxotitanium hydrosol on the basis of the light absorption and photoluminescence (PL) investigations are presented. The light absorption (260 nm) and PL emission (313 nm) allow us to identify the inorganic phase of hydrosol as nanosheets' crystallites of quasi‐TiO2. Macromolecular nature of nanosheets of quasi‐TiO2 was revealed only for a higher concentration solution of nanosheets' crystallites of quasi‐TiO2 at the hydrosol. A macromolecular nature of nanosheets of quasi‐TiO2 by the red shift of absorption edge and PL wavelength with increase in the concentration of the oxotitanium hydrosol as well as the formation of hydrogels and birefringence developed under an influence of mechanical shearing is evidenced. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.