Dissolving Nanoparticles (TiO2) in epoxy resign

[darius222]

Hey!

I want to dispergate TiO2 nanoparticles (20-80 nm) in epoxy resign. I've done some research and found out that a homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles in epoxy resign can be a difficult thing to achieve without expensive machines, as they stick together and form agglomerates with diameters lager than 100 nm (see for example "Ultrasonic dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in epoxy resin", Bittmann, Haupert & Schlarb 2009).

Now i see that nanoparticles are available with different coatings to help dispergating them in specific liquids like water, oil, ethanol. I'm not into chemistry at all sadly and therefore hope that someone here can help me: Are nanoparticles coated with Silicon Oil or SiO2 easier to dispergate in epoxy resign? Is it possible to reach a homogeneous distribution of these particles by just mixing with a normal mixer/scrambler? Has anyone experience with mixing nanoparticles into resign and can give me some tips? That would be very helpful!

Thank you!
Darius

[exchemist]

On 4/27/2021 at 5:07 PM, darius222 said:

Hey!

I want to dispergate TiO2 nanoparticles (20-80 nm) in epoxy resign. I've done some research and found out that a homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles in epoxy resign can be a difficult thing to achieve without expensive machines, as they stick together and form agglomerates with diameters lager than 100 nm (see for example "Ultrasonic dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in epoxy resin", Bittmann, Haupert & Schlarb 2009).

Now i see that nanoparticles are available with different coatings to help dispergating them in specific liquids like water, oil, ethanol. I'm not into chemistry at all sadly and therefore hope that someone here can help me: Are nanoparticles coated with Silicon Oil or SiO2 easier to dispergate in epoxy resign? Is it possible to reach a homogeneous distribution of these particles by just mixing with a normal mixer/scrambler? Has anyone experience with mixing nanoparticles into resign and can give me some tips? That would be very helpful!

Thank you!
Darius

This looks like a question for someone with experience of the paint or allied industries. I can't answer this myself but I see from this: https://www.crayvalley.com/docs/technical-paper/dispersing-titanium-dioxide-with-sma-resins-(1).pdf that TiO2 is sometimes indeed given a surface coating, in this case involving Al2O3 and something organic. It may be that either Cray Valley or Millenium Inorganic Chemical could advise you further if you contact them.