Tailored growth of In(OH)(3) shell on functionalized polystyrene beads

Fabrication of organic-inorganic composite particles with tailored size, shape, and morphology has been attracting great attention from researchers because of their fascinating properties and applications in a variety of potential fields. In this study, we report on the fabrication of PS-In(OH)(3) (polystyrene-indium hydroxide) composite particles by hydrolyzing the In(OC(3)H(7))(3) (indium isopropoxide) salt in the presence of beta-diketone functionalized PS colloidal particles. A systematic investigation of the employed reaction conditions allowed us to tune the morphology, size, and In(OH)(3) content of the PS-In(OH)(3) composite particles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results illustrate that variation in the employed concentration of the In(OC(3)H(7))(3) salt in reaction media can effectively tune the morphology of resulting composite particles between "core-shell" and "raspberry-like". X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirms the phase purity of In(OH)(3) nanoparticles precipitated on the surface of PS beads. Colloidal stability of the composite particles has been found to be reduced with increasing the deposited amount of In(OH)(3) nanoparticles. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) suggests a continuous increase in the deposited amount of In(OH)(3) nanoparticles with increasing concentration of In(OC(3)H(7))(3) salt in reaction media. The resulting PS-In(OH)(3) composite particles are envisioned to be used in a myriad of potential applications including fabrication of optoelectronic devices, absorption/separation supporting material, catalysts, and hydrophobic surfaces.