Polystyrene Brushes/TiO2 Nanoparticles Prepared via SI-ATRP on Polypropylene and its Superhydrophobicity

CINTIA B. CONTRERAS; DANIEL E. WEIBEL; MIRIAM C. STRUMIA

JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2021 vol. 28 p. 103 - 107

1022-9760

Surface initiated-atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is a powerful tool forcareful control of the materials surface properties, such as their wettability. In thisstudy, superhydrophobic self-cleaning propylene (PP) surfaces were obtained bydipping the PP sticks into xylene at 125 °C containing dispersed hybrid core-brush TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). The TiO 2 NPs were functionalized with (3-chloropropyl)triethoxysilane (CLE) and they were employed for styrene grafting polymerization usingCLE as an SI-ATRP initiator. DRIFT, TEM, SEM, WCA, optical profilometry, TGA andSAXS techniques were used for characterization. TEM images of the (NPs-CLE a ) -g- PS revealed that the shell brush sizes were (10.4 ± 0.5) nm, (11.5 ± 0.5) nm and(18.8 ± 0.5) nm for a (CLE/xylene ratio), equal to 5/95, 10/90 and 20/80 respectively;indicating the dependence of the polymer grafting on the initiator ratio. The hierarchicalmicro-nanostructure generated on PP sticks, the WCA and hysteresis also dependedon the a used. The WCA and hysteresis reached values of (161 ± 7) o and (3.7 ±0.4) o , respectively for a =20/80. The present methodology employs a simple andcost-effective technique to produce durable superhydrophobic surfaces on PP, offeringthe possibility to be used in different polymeric substrates. Additionally, it can be easilyscale up and integrated into industrial processes.