Control of the chemical composition and thickness of deposited coatings over carbon nanotubes using acrylic acid plasma

In this study, it is demonstrated that the surface of carbonnanotubes can be coated with a polymer nanometer size film (nanocoating) with tailored surface polar behavior when treated with acrylic acid plasma. The polar behavior of the polymer nanocoating can be hydrophilic or hydrophobic depending deposition and erosion processes caused by ionized species in the plasma. In turn, deposition and erosion can be controlled by plasma power. Deposition dominates at 20 W power, where a significant amount of polymer nanocoating is produced with carboxylic acid functional groups in the surface thus having an hydrophilic behavior. On the contrary, a smaller amount of polymer nanocoating with hydrophobic behavior (i.e. without any functional groups on its surface) suggests that erosion isthe dominant process when 40 W power is used. Finally, a competition between deposition and erosion processes results in different polar behavior and amount of polymer nanocoating depending of the treatment time

Antistatic films based on polymer nanocomposites

Accumulation of electric charge on a surface is known as static electricity, a common phenomenon in plastics due to its isolating nature. This phenomenon represents a problem in packaging films since the charge can be released in a violent manner or dust particles can be attached to the film decreasing its appearance. Different carbon nanoparticles can be used to solve this problem without affecting the film characteristics. In this sense, after a through a revision of journal papers, research and analysis, we propose new materials based in carbon nanoparticles that can be used to solve this problem without affecting the film characteristics including damage due to electrostatic discharges.La electricidad estática es la acumulación de carga eléctrica y es un fenómeno que continuamente se presenta en los plásticos debido a su naturaleza aislante, por lo que en las películas de plástico para empaques en general, surge la necesidad de buscar opciones y brindar solución a esta problemática. Debido a la necesidad de evitar las cargas eléctricas depositadas en la diversidad de empaques que existen, se analizaron las opciones más utilizadas. De esta manera, mediante una revisión bibliográfica, investigación y análisis, fue propuesto un nuevo nanomaterial para cumplir con los requisitos necesarios y para que el producto que se empaque no sufra ningún tipo de daño debido a las descargas eléctrica

Surface Modification of nTiO2/Ag Hybrid Nanoparticles Using Microwave-Assisted Polymerization in the Presence of Bis(2-hydroxyethyl) Terephthalate

Titanium dioxide doped silver (nTiO2/Ag) nanoparticles were surface-modified by microwave-assisted polymerization of 2-bis-(hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). The modified and unmodified nanoparticles were analyzed by FTIR, XRD, TGA, and TEM. A thin layer of grafted PET on the surface of the nanoparticles was observed and quantified by TGA giving a value of 40 wt-%. XRD and electron diffraction analyses showed traces of AgO2 after the modification. The bactericide activity of modified and unmodified nanoparticles was evaluated; the presence of the thin layer of grafted-PET on the nTiO2/Ag did not change significantly the bactericide activity, showing an excellent performance similar to unmodified nanoparticles