Titanium dioxide/cellulose nanocomposites prepared by a controlled hydrolysis method

TiO2/cellulose nanocomposites were prepared through the titanyl sulphate hydrolysis in acidic medium in the presence of cellulosic fibres. The influence of several reaction parameters on the morphological characteristics of the nanocomposites was investigated. There is evidence from this study that in specific experimental conditions, the cellulose fibres promote the nucleation and growth of TiO2 particles, yielding hybrid materials containing up to 46% TiO2. Two series of paper handsheets having distinct TiO2 content have been prepared, one from a selected hybrid composition and the other from mixtures of commercial TiO2 and cellulose fibres. Comparative optical studies performed on the paper handsheets revealed a much higher opacity for the synthetic sample. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.