Surface modification of nanoparticles with octadecyl trichlorosilane and its effects on photocatalytic activity

Abstract

The surfaces of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were modified with octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS) as a coupling agent in different conditions. In order to improve the nanoparticles' dispersion and transform the interactions between nanoparticles in different conditions, the grafting of OTS on the TiO2 nanoparticles' surface was characterised by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared techniques. An ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer was employed to evaluate the absorbance of UV-light in the wavelength range of 200-900 nm. To assess the light catalytic activity, UV/vis diffuse reflectance spectra were applied to detect the absorbance of Rhodamine B, which was absorbed in the dark and degraded under a lamp. An effective method has been provided to improve photocatalytic activity, which may also be applied to the modification of other nanomaterials. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.