Simultaneous amination of TiO2 nanoparticles in the gas phase synthesis for bio-medical applications

A simultaneous synthesis and surface amination method to effectively modify the surface of inorganic nanoparticles is discussed in this study. As a target material system and surface functional group, TiO2 nanoparticles and amine were selected. APTES (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane), the source of amine group, was mixed with TTIP (titanium tetraisopropoxide) and used for the synthesis of aminated TiO2 nanoparticles. XRD (X-ray diffractometry) results showed TiO2 nanoparticles of pure anatase phase, 15 nm in crystallite size, were successfully synthesized at 700°C and 50 mbar. Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy measurement and confocal microscopy study using fluoresceine isothiocyanate (FITC) confirmed that amine groups were successfully deposited and activated on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles.