Particle fabrication solution methods

Abstract A colloidal solution of titanium dioxide (TiO ) nanoparticles was prepared by the solvothermal method and dip-coated onto a polypropylene fabric with TMOS binder. The prepared TiO particles, colloidal solution and the coated fabrics were characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM. The results showed that the TiO particles prepared by the solvothermal method were composed of anatase which uniformly coated the snbstrate. Photocatalysis induced bactericidal properties of coated fabrics were tested by measuring the viability of Escherichia coli. It was fonnd that solvothermally prepared TiO coatings have the ability to kill E. coli. This nniqne property of TiO makes it an ideal candidate in producing self-sterilizing protective masks and in providing bactericidal and self-cleaning properties to a variety of snrfaces. 

Monodisperse Particles from Solution examines a class of materials of widespread interest for the fabrication of ceramic bodies. Many methods of preparation have been devised. The mechanisms of growth and the structure of the particles are discussed. 

Surface prop>erties can be modified by thin layers of grafted polymers on a surface (not only flat substrates, but also colloidal particles, fibers, etc). These layers can be fabricated by grafring-from (as radical polymerization at the interface) and grafring-to (as tethering of the polymer chains from solution) methods. Grafted surfaces using smart temperature-responsive polymers can modulate cell adhesion and detachment properties in dependence on the temprerature. Cells adhere and proliferate on hydrophobic surfaces rather than hydrophilic ones. They tend to adhere to the surface with appropriate hydrophobidty. Polymer brush systems can be used to control adsorption mechanism, for example, protein adsorption or adsorption of nanopartides. 

The sol-gel process is a wet-chemical technique (chemical solution deposition) widely used recently in the fields of materials science and ceramic engineering. Such methods are used primarily for the fabrication of materials (typically a metal oxide) starting from a chemical solution which acts as the precursor for an integrated network (or gel) of either discrete particles or network polymers. Typical precursors are metal alkoxides and metal chlorides, which undergo various forms of hydrolysis and polycondensation reactions. 

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