Spherical titania and their influence on self-cleaning and anticorrosion properties of acrylic resin

Firstly, spherical TiO₂ particles of micro-nano size were prepared by using the inclusion reaction product which resulted from the chemical reaction between urea and EtOH and the inclusion reaction product served as a template. The size of spherical TiO₂ can be regulated by the ratio of urea solution. The spherical TiO₂ particles are mainly composed of anatase.

Enhancing the properties of acrylic resin

Then the above spherical TiO₂ particles were used to enhance the properties of acrylic resin. With the increase of TiO₂, the microstructure surface of TiO₂/acrylic resin coating was in the uneven shape of lotus leaf.

When the addition of TiO₂ reaches up to 30 wt.%, it can enhance the anti-corrosion properties of the acrylic resin coating brushed on Q235 steel plate, the water contact angle on the surface of TiO2/acrylic resin coating is 121.5° and displays good self-cleaning properties in the water with sand whose concentration reaches 20 wt.%. The composite coatings exhibited the highest 5B rating determined by adhesion test ASTM D-3359-02 (American Society for Testing and Materials).

The study has been published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 128.