Surface modification of silica nanoparticles by hexamethyldisilazane and n-butanol

Abstract: In this article, surface modification of silica nanoparticles were carried out with different reagents such as - epoxy resin, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and n-butanol. The aim of this study is to generate a hydrophilic type of silica which is well dispersed in polar solvent as rubber, resin, paint, oil, grease, etc. With that purpose, we have modified the silica with the reagents chosen above. After modification, the silica nanoparticles have had the hydrophobic surface. As the first step, we have applied this material as the dispersed phase to synthesize lubricants, preventing metal corrosion of equipment and machine operating in extreme environment. The nanoparticles were prepared from rice husk using precipitation method, these particles have the particle size in the range from 20 nm to 30 nm and the surface area of 49.046 m2/g. Several analytical methods including Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett– Teller (BET), Dynamic Contact Angle (DCA), Thermogravimetric/Differential Thermal Analyzer (TG/DTA) have proven the interaction between the organic groups and the silica surface. In which, DCA has indicated the surface modification of material when it changes from hydrophilic form to hydrophobic form