title: Langmuir--Schaefer films of Nafion with incorporated TiO(2) nanoparticles.
abstract: An easy method of incorporating TiO(2) nanoparticles into Nafion perfluorinated ionomer is proposed. Ultrathin films of Nafion were prepared by employing the Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) technique. The pressure-area isotherm study of a Langmuir monolayer of Nafion at the air-water interface on different concentrations of NaCl as the subphase allowed us to find the best experimental conditions for the deposition of stable Langmuir-Schaefer films. Incorporation of TiO(2) nanoparticles was performed by dipping Nafion LS films in a solution of TiO(2) nanoparticles. The uniformity of the TiO(2) incorporation was detected by UV-visible spectroscopy. The morphology of the Nafion, Nafion/TiO(2) nanoparticles thin films, and the changes due to the annealing procedure were investigated by atomic force microscopy. Interestingly, the AFM investigation showed that Nafion and Nafion/TiO(2) LS films have thermal stability up to 600 degrees C.
authors.affiliation: Nanoworld Institute and Biophysics Division, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 30, 16132 Genoa, Italy. p.bertoncello@warwick.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bertoncello
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notargiacomo
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolini