Properties of poly(titanium oxide)-containing polymeric materials exhibiting UV-induced superhydrophilicity under simulated climate test conditions

Abstract

Optically transparent organic-inorganic terpolymers containing nanostructured poly (titanium oxide) (PTO or (≡TiO)n) in polymeric matrixes of poly (hydroxiethylmethacrylate) (pHEMA) and its copolymers with acrylonitrile (AN), 2-ethylhexyleacrylate, buthylmethacrylate, vinylbuthyl ether and exhibiting UV-induced reversible surface hydrophilization had been subjected by climatic tests in the Q-SUN Xe-2 light weathering chamber, which simulates the exposure of the material under ambient conditions for 20 months of its operation. Adhesion, physical-mechanical and thermal-physical properties of PTO-containing materials had studied before and after climatic testing. The materials retain the capacity for the one-electron transition Ti4+ + e‾ ⇆ Ti3+ under UV-irradiation after environmental testing, resulting in both photochromic properties and reversible surface hydrophilization. The photocatalytic activity of materials in stearic acid decomposition at terpolymer's surface of composition [(≡TiO)n]: [HEMA]: [AN] = 1:5:1 had proven.