A facile strategy towards the encapsulation of TiO2 nanoparticles with Poly(N-vinylcarbazole) through esterification

In this study, a facile method for synthesis of conducting polymer/inorganic oxide hybrid nanocomposites, the poly(N-vinylcar bazole)/Titanium Dioxide (PVK-g-TiO2), was successfully developed via direct facile esterification reaction under extremely mild conditions. The TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) were first modified by 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane in order to prepare the epoxy groups functionalized TiO2 NPs, followed by refluxing with ethanol solution of hydrochloric acid to convert the epoxy groups into alkyl-hydroxyl units. A sufficient amount of PVK was then grafted onto the as-modified TiO2 NPs via esterification reaction between the alkyl-hydroxyl units at the nanoparticle surface and the carboxyl-terminated PVK chains. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy dispersive X-Ray, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were used to study the chemical and physical properties in surface functionalities.