The increasing applications of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles raise concerns about their potential environmental impacts. To investigate the fate and transport of TiO2 nanoparticles in aqueous suspension, ultrasonication is widely used for the dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles in laboratory-scale studies. There is a pressing need for detailed information on the dispersion and stability of TiO2 nanoparticles. This study investigated the change of size, zeta potential, and pH of TiO2 nanoparticles aqueous suspension under different conditions of ultrasonication and concentrations. It was found that the hydrodynamic diameter of TiO2 nanoparticles decreased with increasing suspension concentration and remained stable for more than 1 hour after sonication, which is enough for experimental research. The pH decreased with increasing nanoparticles concentration. Ultrasonication remarkably improved zeta potential to be above 15 mV for all the samples. Therefore, 20 minutes of ultrasonication (180 W) is sufficient for the dispersion of this rutile TiO2 nanoparticles suspension, which can remain stable for more than 1 hour. However, the optimum sonication time for TiO2 nanoparticles dispersion is influenced by many factors, such as TiO2 nanoparticles concentration, solution chemistry, and sonicator parameters.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
January 01 2013
Dispersion and stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspension: effects of ultrasonication and concentration Available to Purchase
J. Qi;
J. Qi
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Y. Y. Ye;
Y. Y. Ye
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Search for other works by this author on:
J. J. Wu;
J. J. Wu
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Search for other works by this author on:
H. T. Wang;
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
F. T. Li
F. T. Li
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Water Sci Technol (2013) 67 (1): 147–151.
Article history
Received:
April 16 2012
Accepted:
August 07 2012
Citation
J. Qi, Y. Y. Ye, J. J. Wu, H. T. Wang, F. T. Li; Dispersion and stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspension: effects of ultrasonication and concentration. Water Sci Technol 1 January 2013; 67 (1): 147–151. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.545
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
eBook
Pay-Per-View Access
$38.00