Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Research Area: Materials science, chemistry, polymer science,
surface chemistry
Supervisor: Prof
Jonas Addai-Mensah
Description: Australia is among the world's top ten producers of titania pigment which has a wide range of applications such as paints. plastics, paper making and pharmaceuticals. The performance of titania pigments is a function of the quality of the inorganic surface treatment applied to the base pigment. Coating is undertaken in aqueous suspension by precipitation of hydrous silica, alumina, and sequential combinations thereof, onto the aluminium-doped titania base pigment. The process is very sensitive to conditions and sequences which have major effects on product characteristics and ultimately performance. Control of the inorganic treatment process is vital for producing quality pigments with excellent optical properties, durability and dispersability [1].
The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of dispersants on directing the structure of the final coating. Presently, it is not known if they are pre-adsorbed or are present from the recycled solution. The study will include polyphosphates plus copolymers, which have been reported to direct the morphology of silica films [2]. It is envisaged that this study will lead to the development of new pigments with tailored morphologies. The development of the coating morphology will be monitored by AFM by depositing the inorganic coatings on flat rutile or anatase substrates. XPS and TOF-SIMS will then be used to determine the coating character on the surfaces on the flat substrates. It is envisaged that these experiments will also provide insight into how the coating develops with time. This project offers the opportunity for training a student in both polymer science and surface chemistry
References
[1] Braun, J.H., Titanium dioxide- a review, J. Coatings Technology, 69 (868), 59-72, 1997.
[2] Naik, S. P., Yamakita, S., Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 75(1-2), 51-59,
2004.
*Funding: An Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) is available to support this project. Only Australian citizens, or permanent residents of Australia, are eligible to apply.
