Custom Silica Nanoparticles for interfacial Coatings

• Forschungsstelle: INNOSUISSE
• Projektnummer: 11618.2;11 PFNM-NM
• Projekttitel Englisch: Custom Silica Nanoparticles for interfacial Coatings

Kurzbeschreibung (Deutsch)

Custom Silica Nanoparticles for interfacial Coatings

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Custom Silica Nanoparticles for interfacial Coatings

Abstract (Deutsch)

Van Baerle Silicates, a business of van Baerle AG, is a world leading manufacturer of soluble silicates with a turnover of approximately 20 Million CHF in 2009. To double its turnover, van Baerle Silicates needs to expand its business beyond soluble silicates to new markets. Silica is one of the oldest building materials known to man. Synthetic precipitated silica is produced by chemical reaction, most commonly the neutralization of a solution of sodium silicate (water glass) with acid. This project seeks to use precipitation methods to develop routes to new amorphous nanoscale silica (nano-silica) having dimensions less than 100 nm through direct synthesis or post-synthetic modification. A particular target will be materials with anomalous rheological properties, and specifically materials with a thixotropic (variable viscosity) effect without a thickening effect. We believe that the combination of these, apparently mutually exclusive, properties will bring advantages for many applications, such as special paper coatings, paints, composites, plastics and silicone sealants. The primary aims of the project are (i) to develop and optimize syntheses of silica nanoparticles at the laboratory scale with novel properties (ii) to address fundamental chemical issues associated with scale-up of nano-dimensioned materials from laboratory to multi-kilogram scale (iii) to fully characterize the new nanoparticles and investigate their surface chemistry (iv) to apply the nano-silica in applications such as special paper coatings (thermo-, ink-jet-paper), in anti-corrosion paints, in scratch resistance coating paints, for the mechanical reinforcing of plastic or as fillers in silicone sealants.

Abstract (Englisch)

Van Baerle Silicates, a business of van Baerle AG, is a world leading manufacturer of soluble silicates with a turnover of approximately 20 Million CHF in 2009. To double its turnover, van Baerle Silicates needs to expand its business beyond soluble silicates to new markets. Silica is one of the oldest building materials known to man. Synthetic precipitated silica is produced by chemical reaction, most commonly the neutralization of a solution of sodium silicate (water glass) with acid. This project seeks to use precipitation methods to develop routes to new amorphous nanoscale silica (nano-silica) having dimensions less than 100 nm through direct synthesis or post-synthetic modification. A particular target will be materials with anomalous rheological properties, and specifically materials with a thixotropic (variable viscosity) effect without a thickening effect. We believe that the combination of these, apparently mutually exclusive, properties will bring advantages for many applications, such as special paper coatings, paints, composites, plastics and silicone sealants. The primary aims of the project are (i) to develop and optimize syntheses of silica nanoparticles at the laboratory scale with novel properties (ii) to address fundamental chemical issues associated with scale-up of nano-dimensioned materials from laboratory to multi-kilogram scale (iii) to fully characterize the new nanoparticles and investigate their surface chemistry (iv) to apply the nano-silica in applications such as special paper coatings (thermo-, ink-jet-paper), in anti-corrosion paints, in scratch resistance coating paints, for the mechanical reinforcing of plastic or as fillers in silicone sealants.