EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SURFACTANS ON THE FORMATION AND MORPHOLOGY OF TiO2

Abstract

TiO2 is one of the compounds that researchers especially material scientists have studied most recently. Due to some of its extraordinary properties, for example, it can be used in photocatalysis, dye-sensitive solar cells and biomedical devices, are important parameters that make TiO2 curious. Synthesis, researches and new discoveries made in this direction have always been remarkable. In this study, a low cost and easily prepared surfactant supported hydrothermal method was used to determine the effect of different surfactants on morphology and crystallinity. Three surfactants were selected, including anionic, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cationic, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and nonionic (TritonX-100), respectively. Addition of surfactant produced more dispersed and stable TiO2 in the aqueous suspension. 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5 % by weight of all types were added and 2% surfactant was found to produce the most stable suspension with high turbidity and measurable particle size. CTAB was found to provide a more stable TiO2 suspension than SDS and triton x attributed to electro-steric.