Preparation and Characterization of Nano‐TiO2 Doped Polystyrene Materials by Melt Blending for Inertial Confinement Fusion

Abstract

Nano‐TiO2 doped polystyrene (PS) materials (TiO2‐d‐PS) used for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets were prepared by means of melt blending. The effect of the pretreatment process, including coupling agents and ultrasonic dispersion on nano‐TiO2, was studied. Tensile tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of the TiO2‐d‐PS materials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was used to characterize the degree of dispersion of nano‐TiO2 in the PS matrix. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic contact angle (DCA) measurements were introduced to demonstrate the surface state of untreated and pretreated nano‐TiO2. The results showed that coupling agents improved the interfacial adhesion between the PS matrix and dopants; ultrasonic dispersion contributed to the increase in the tensile properties of the TiO2‐d‐PS materials. The dispersion stability of nano‐TiO2 powder and the stability of the TiO2‐d‐PS materials were significantly enhanced through pretreatment, which was supported by the increase in the DCA when the nano‐TiO2 was pretreated by the coupling agent. The results of SEM and EDS indicated that the nano‐TiO2 dispersed homogeneously in the PS matrix. The pretreatment process is an effective way to break the aggregation of nano‐TiO2, which was confirmed by TEM results. Melt blending is a feasible method to prepare PS doped high Z element ICF target materials.