title: Preparations of polystyrene/aluminum hydroxide and polystyrene/alumina composite particles in an ionic liquid.
abstract: Polystyrene (PS)/aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)(3)) composite particles were successfully prepared by the sol-gel process of aluminum isopropoxide (Al(OPr(i))(3)) in a hydrophilic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim][BF(4)]) using ammonium hydroxide (NH(4)OH) as a catalyst in the presence of PS seed. Transmission electron microscopy observation of ultrathin cross-sections of the composite particles revealed that the composite particles had a core-shell morphology consisting of a PS core and a Al(OH)(3) shell having high crystallinity. The amount of secondary nucleated Al(OH)(3) could be reduced by dropwise addition of NH(4)OH. Moreover, PS/η-Al(2)O(3) composite particles were successfully prepared by heat treatment of PS/Al(OH)(3) at 300 °C in N(2) atmosphere, which is below the decomposition temperature of PS.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokko, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Keigo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Hideto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tarutani
authors.forename: Kimitaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanagimoto