Photocatalytic and magnetic titanium dioxide/polystyrene/magnetite composite hybrid polymer particles

Novel multifunctional titanium dioxide (TiO2)/polystyrene/magnetite composite hybrid polymer particle dispersions with TiO2 nanoparticles in the surface and magnetite nanoparticles encapsulated inside the polymer matrix were produced by Pickering miniemulsion polymerization in one single step. Whereas TiO2 nanoparticles were used to impart photocatalytic functionality and colloidal stability, magnetite nanoparticles were incorporated to allow an easy extraction for recovery and reuse of the composite multifunctional particles. The morphology of the composite particles was assessed by scanning transition electron microscopy (STEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The paramagnetism of the particles was analyzed using a SQUID magnetometer and their photocatalytic activity was assessed by degrading methylene blue (MB) solutions under UV light and by recovering and reusing of the particles in five consecutive cycles. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 3350-3356