Influence of surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles by gallates on the properties of PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites

Nanocomposites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by in situ radical polymerization of MMA in solution. The surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with four gallic acid esters (octyl, decyl, lauryl and cetyl gallate). The content of gallates present on the surface of TiO2 was calculated from the TGA results. The influence of length of hydrophobic tail of amphiphilic alkyl gallates on dispersability of surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles in PMMA matrix, the molecular weight and glass transition temperature of PMMA, as well as the thermal stability of the prepared PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites in nitrogen and air was investigated. The influence of content of TiO2 nanoparticles on the properties of these nanocomposites was also examined. The formation of a charge transfer complex between the surface Ti atoms and the gallates was confirmed by FTIR and UV spectroscopy. TEM micrographs of the PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites revealed that degree of TiO2 aggregation can be significantly lowered by increasing the length of aliphatic part of the used gallates. The molecular weight of PMMA slightly decreases with the increase of TiO2 content, indicating that used TiO2 nanoparticles act as radical scavengers during the polymerization of MMA. The presence of surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles do not have an influence on the mobility of PMMA chain segments leading to the same values of glass transition temperature for all investigated samples. Thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of the PMMA matrix are improved by introducing TiO2 nanoparticles modified with gallates.