(186d) Functional Composites Formed From Cross-Linked Microparticles Of A Responsive Polymer And Titania Nanoparticles

Composites of polymeric and inorganic constituents offer a powerful avenue to tailor the functional properties of materials. We have focused on composite colloidal particles of inorganic nanoparticles such as TiO2 embedded within a responsive polymeric matrix formed from thermally responsive microgels of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with interpenetrating linear chains of poly(acrylic acid). A simple procedure allows the rapid loading of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide into the microgels. These composites settle readily under gravity, which is a characteristic that will allow easy and efficient recovery of the particles after applications such as photocatalytic remediation. Characterization has been carried out using UV-VIS and infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The presentation will discuss the preparation, characterization and long-term stability of the composite materials, potential separation strategies in a remediation application and preliminary work on the use of these novel materials in degradation of contaminants in aqueous solutions.