2016 Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages 57-63
Surface modification and treatment of nanoparticles by using various surfactants and silane coupling agents with different molecular structure and weight on particle surfaces in aqueous solution or organic solvents were applied to control surface interaction between particles and aggregation / dispersion behaviors. If surface modified molecules were almost completely covered on the surface of particles, surface modified nanoparticles were able to be re-dispersed into various organic solvent after surface treatment on particles in suspension and dried nanoparticles. Various kinds of functional materials, such as uniform nanoparticles dispersed polymer composites, were prepared from nanoparticles dispersed suspension without aggregation. Furthermore, molecular and nanometer scaled surface structure and interaction after modification was characterized by using a colloid probe atomic force microscope, AFM, method. Based on the measurement results, the action mechanism of some kinds of surfactants and other modified molecules on aggregation and dispersion behavior was discussed.
