Atmospheric plasma dielectric barrier discharge: A simple route to produce superhydrophilic TiO2@carbon nanostructure. Issue 3 (17th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Matouk, Zineb; Torriss, Badr; Rincón, Rocío; Mirzaei, Amir; Margot, Joëlle; Chaker, Mohamed
• Is Part Of: Plasma processes and polymers. Volume 18:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-11-17
• Subjects: atmospheric pressure -- core−shell nanostructures -- dielectric barrier discharge -- superhydrophilicity -- surface functionalization; Plasma polymerization -- Periodicals; Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; Plasma chemistry -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.202000173
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1612-8850

Abstract

Abstract: A one‐step technique for the deposition of superhydrophilic TiO2 @carbon nanocomposites is described in this study. The nanocomposites are synthesized by injecting TiO2 nanoparticles suspended in isopropanol into a dielectric barrier discharge operating at atmospheric pressure (AP‐DBD) generated in an N2 /N2 O gas mixture. The influence of the voltage (3–8 kV) applied to a 2‐kHz‐operated AP‐DBD on the wettability of the as‐deposited TiO2 @C nanocomposites is examined. The water contact angle is drastically reduced from 93° for the reference TiO2 powder to <5° for the deposited nanocomposite. This superhydrophilicity is not caused by the increase of the surface roughness determined by atomic force microscopy measurement but rather by the higher density of graphitic compounds at the surface, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Abstract : This study reports the synthesis of TiO2 @carbon nanocomposites using a scalable and one‐step plasma process that can operate at low temperature. A thorough characterization of the wettability properties, composition, morphology, and structure of the films shows the achievement of TiO2 @C nanocomposites. Depending on the voltage applied to the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), there is a significant change in the wettability and morphology properties of TiO2 ‐based nanocomposites with only a slight variation in their chemical composition. In particular, superhydrophilic TiO2 @C nanocomposites are obtained at high voltage. This emphasizes that DBDs allow the synthesis of hybrid composites with tunable surface functionalities and properties.