Effects of morphology, total and surface compositions of nanooxides on their behavior in aqueous media

V.M. Gun’ko

doi:10.15407/hftp17.02.165

Authors

V.M. Gun’ko Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6333-3441

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15407/hftp17.02.165

Keywords:

Fumed metal and metalloid oxides, alumina/silica/titania, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, zeta–potential measurements, nanosilica, silica/titania

Abstract

Fumed metal and metalloid oxides (FMO) represent a practically important class of nanostructured materials produced in large amounts in the world. The properties and characteristics of FMO depend on a such set of factors as the synthesis conditions, particle size distributions (PSD), surface and bulk compositions of nanoparticles (NP), aggregation of NP, numbers and types of active surface sites, environment, media kind, etc. Some of the FMO characteristics could depend strongly on the media type (air, aqueous, organic liquids, solutions of various compounds, pH, salinity, etc.). As a whole, the behavior of FMO in different media, especially binary and ternary oxide systems, could be too complex for predicting. However, systematic investigations of a large set of FMO could improve understanding certain general regularities in the FMO behavior. For these purposes, a such set of methods as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption (dry powders), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta–potential measurements, titration, and quantum chemical modeling (liquid dispersion media) has been used in this study. The DLS method gives important information on the behavior of FMO in liquid media that could be deeper analyzed using other mentioned methods. A set of nanosilicas (ten samples), silica/titania (8 ST), and alumina/silica/titania (5 AST) samples is analyzed for a deeper insight into the behavior of simple and complex FMO in aqueous media depending on various factors. As a whole, the behavior of AST in the aqueous media is more complex than that of silicas, titania or even ST due to more complex structure of a surface, broader NP PSD, stronger NP aggregation but weaker agglomeration of aggregates, much larger difference in pH of isoelectric point (IEP) and point of zero charge (PZC). The AST IEP shifts toward larger pH values (alumina effect), but AST PZC shifts toward smaller pH values (acidic surface sites effect). Obtained results are of interest from both theoretical and practical points of view.

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