High-performance TiO2/polyacrylate nanocomposites with enhanced thermal and excellent UV-shielding properties

High performance TiO 2 /polymer nanocomposites with enhanced thermal and excellent UV-shielding properties have been successfully prepared by means of the anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed in the poly (methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate/methacrylic acid) [P (MMA/BA/MAA)] matrix via a miniemulsion polymerization process. Highly crystalline TiO 2 nanoparticles with 5–8   nm diameter, were synthesized by a non-aqueous process and then modified with γ-Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (A174) to improve the compatibility with polymer. FTIR, TGA and dispersity tests in monomers/water verify that the A174 is chemically bonded onto the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles. TEM, SEM and EDS analyses indicate that the TiO 2 nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix. TGA and DSC studies confirm that the thermal properties of the resultant nanocomposites are significantly enhanced with respect to the neat polymer. UV–vis transmission spectra results reveal that the films with TiO 2 nanoparticles has an excellent UV-shielding property, even at 1.5   wt% TiO 2 nanoparticles loading can almost block the UV light below 350   nm while still having a high visible transparency. Therefore, the resultant nanocomposite films could be used as transparent UV-shielding materials.