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Silica-Coated Micrometer-Sized Latex Particles
O Norvilaite1, C Lindsay2, P Taylor2
1Dainton Building, Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3 7HF, UK.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|March 31, 2023
Summary
Chitosan pre-treatment enables uniform silica shell formation on poly(methyl methacrylate) latex particles via a Stöber protocol. This method efficiently produces hollow silica particles with tunable shell thickness for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Colloid Chemistry
Background:
- Polymer latex particles require surface modification for advanced applications.
- Developing efficient silica coating methods is crucial for particle functionalization.
- Stöber silica deposition offers a versatile route for inorganic shell formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an efficient method for silica coating of micrometer-sized poly(methyl methacrylate) latex particles.
- To investigate the role of chitosan in the silica deposition process.
- To control and tune the silica shell thickness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Stöber protocol with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) for silica deposition.
- Employed chitosan adsorption onto latex particles prior to silica coating.
- Applied thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), aqueous electrophoresis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for characterization.
Main Results:
- Chitosan pre-treatment significantly improved silica shell formation, preventing secondary nucleation.
- Silica shells with tunable thickness (45-144 nm) were successfully prepared.
- Calcination revealed hollow silica particles with smooth shells, confirmed by SEM.
- Characterization techniques validated uniform silica overlayers on the latex particles.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan acts as a surface modifier, promoting uniform silica deposition rather than catalyzing silica formation.
- The developed method is a generic and efficient strategy for coating micrometer-sized particles at high solids.
- The resulting hollow silica particles hold potential for diverse material applications.
