Facile surface tailoring of metal oxide nanoparticles via a two-step modification approach

Abstract

The tailoring of surface properties of metal oxide nanoparticles is highly important to exploit their benefits in an optimal way for diverse applications. For example, in polymer matrix nanocomposites one of the most critical aspects is the interaction of the particles with the matrix, which is determined by the chemistry of the particle surface and can be adjusted by attachment of organic ligands. Whilst many empirical solutions have been presented for specific combinations of particles and matrix, generalized approaches are not available yet. As a versatile and arbitrary method to permanently modify the surface of metal oxide nanoparticles, we present a two-step approach and prove its applicability for the versatile adjustment of surface properties of two types of nanoparticles.