Current location: JICS Archive > Vol. 8 > Supplement. 1 > Articles : 18

UV-Degradation Effect on Optical and Surface Properties of Polystyrene-TiO₂ Nanocomposite Film

B. Jaleh^a,*, M. Shayegani Madad^a, M. Farshchi Tabrizi^b, S. Habibi^a, R. Golbedaghi^c and M.R. Keymanesh^d

^aPhysics Department, Bu-Ali Sina University, Postal Code 65174, Hamedan, Iran
^bMax-Plank Institute for Polymer Research, 55128, Maniz, Germany
^cDepartment of Chemistry, Payame Noor University (PNU), Iran
^dConstruction Engineering and  Management Department, Payame Noor University (PNU), Iran

Thin films of polystyrene and polystyrene-TiO₂ nanocomposite were prepared by spin coating from a polystyrene solution in which TiO₂ nanoparticles were dispersed by mechanical mixing. Thin films of polystyrene (PS) and polystyrene-TiO₂ nanocomposite were exposed to UV irradiation for varied time intervals. The effect of UV radiation on the optical properties, crystallinity, surface energy and degradation of PS-TiO₂ nano-composite has been studied. X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), UV-Vis and FTIR spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurement were used to study the induced changes of the properties of the irradiated PS-TiO₂ nanocomposite. Optical band gaps and hydrophilicity in UV-irradiated samples were altered by destruction processes. The optical band gap values were found to reduce from 4.54 eV in pure PS to 4.45 eV for PS-TiO₂ nanocomposite prior to irradiation. This value is further reduced to 3.46 after UV irradiation for 45 h. 

Keywords: PS-TiO₂, UV Degradation, Band gap, AFM, Nanocomposite