Decolorization of beads-milled TiO2 nanoparticles suspension in an organic solvent

In this paper, a new method is proposed for the decolorization of a yellow-hued suspension of rutile TiO2 nanoparticles in an organic solvent (diethylene glycol dimethylether). The presence of color has always been undesirable in a suspension of nanoparticles filler used for industrial needs, particularly for optical applications. A colorless suspension was achieved by irradiating well-dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles in an organic solvent with UV-light (λ = 254 nm) for 5 h. TiO2 nanoparticles of 1 and 5 wt.% were dispersed using a beads mill method. Trimethoxytrifluor(propyl) silane was used as a dispersant to achieve stability. The effect of the UV-light irradiation on the TiO2 nanosuspension was investigated by means of a Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance analyzer (FT-NMR). The dispersant was partially desorbed due to the interaction of UV light and the TiO2/dispersant complex. Thus, an enhanced transparency and the absence of color were obtained for well-dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles in an organic solvent.