Synthesis and Elaboration of Polydimethylsiloxane/Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Films

Abstract

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of PolyDiMethylSiloxane/Titanium Dioxide (PDMS/TiO2) biopolymer nanocomposite films using two different synthesis methods: ex-situ and in-situ. The PDMS polymer were filled with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The effects of varying ratios of TiO2 filler (3%, 5%, 10%, and 15%) on the film properties were investigated. The films were thin, ductile, and varied in transparency depending on the filler ratio. various techniques scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy were used to characterize the TiO2 nanoparticles and PDMS/TiO2 nanocomposite films. Results showed that the TiO2 nanoparticles had a perfect crystalline nanostructure. The analyses of the nanocomposite films confirmed the establishment of cross-linking between the matrix and the reinforcement. The bathochromic effect was shown in the filled films due to the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The addition of TiO2 nanoparticles modified the PDMS matrix properties, such as transparency and antibacterial activity, making it suitable for various applications such as food or biomedical packaging. In-situ synthesis resulted in better roughness and thickness due to medium dispersion of nanoparticles in the polymer lattice, as confirmed by optical microscopy. This comparative study demonstrates that both synthesis approaches can be used for PDMS/TiO2 nanocomposite films and provides insights into the advantages and disadvantages of each method and contributes to the development of new materials with unique properties in various sectors of the market.