Synthesis and characterization of the polysulfone/titanium dioxide polymer
composite
Name: CAMILA ALVES SCHIMIDEL
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 28/09/2021
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CLEOCIR JOSÉ DALMASCHIO | Co-advisor * |
| ELOI ALVES DA SILVA FILHO | Advisor * |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CLEOCIR JOSÉ DALMASCHIO | Co advisor * |
| EDUMAR RAMOS CABRAL COELHO | External Examiner * |
| ELOI ALVES DA SILVA FILHO | Advisor * |
| JOSÉ CARLOS MIERZWA | External Examiner * |
| MARCOS BENEDITO JOSÉ GERALDO DE FREITAS | Internal Examiner * |
Summary: In this study, the synthesis of titanium dioxide (TiO2) was conducted by solvothermal methodology, using three different organic solvents (octyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, and oleic acid). The results of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy indicated the formation of TiO2 nanocrystals in the anatase phase. PSF/TiO2 nanocomposite membranes were prepared by the phase inversion method. TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in a 15% w/w PSF solution. The incorporation of 1, 3, and 5% m/m of TiO2 synthesized in benzyl alcohol in PSF membranes were studied. The diffractograms of the membranes with the incorporation of nanoparticles showed an additional corresponding peak of TiO2 in the anatase phase. The stress strain of membranes has a dependence proportional to Young`s modulus, with increasing concentration of nanoparticles. The membranes presented a dense surface layer, the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles led to the formation of macrovoids. The permeability study showed that in the case of the pure polysulfone membrane, the permeability values were the lowest, as it presents an alveolar structure whose pore size is 0.225 µm, corroborating the micrograph (image) obtained by SEM. Membranes with the addition of TiO2, showed higher values of hydraulic permeability, as they have macrovoids in their pore structure.
