Transparent and Flexible Cellulose Triacetate-TiO2 Nanoparticles with Conductive and UV-Shielding Properties

Cellulose triacetate (CTA) and sol-gel synthesised TiO2 nanoparticles were used to develop and characterise novel nanocomposites modified also with poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide) (EPE) triblock copolymer. The designed nanocomposites presented UV-shielding properties, being the protection higher at high sol-gel content, with suitable surface finish and high transparency even with 20 vol % sol-gel content. The DSC results showed a decrease of the Tg and Tm of the CTA phase indicating a partial miscibility between the nanocomposite components. The AFM measurement indicated that the addition of EPE triblock copolymer led to the nanostructuration of the CTA matrix, allowing to control the dispersion of the TiO2 nanoparticles since the PEO block acted as surfactant for the TiO2 nanoparticles preventing their aggregation. The EFM measurement proved that the TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in the CTA or the PEO block/CTA matrix maintained their conductive properties. Moreover, the TiO2 nanopa...