Investigating surface and wettability properties of Na₂Ti₃O₇/Na₂Ti₆O₁₃/PVA composites

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ceramics-polymer composites have garnered significant interest in recent years due to their unique combination of properties and potential applications. This study presents an in-depth analysis of the surface and wettability properties of new Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 /Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 /PVA composite, aiming to uncover their unique characteristics. The analysis revealed notable changes in the morphology and 3D spatial patterns of the films upon incorporating heated and unheated Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 /Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 into the PVA matrix. The PVA film containing heated ceramics displayed hierarchical topographic roughness (3.71±1.13 nm) similar to those of pure PVA films (2.28±0.13 nm), contrasting with the film containing unheated ceramics (12.31±2 nm). The surface texture of all films exhibited comparable isotropies (without significant difference at a p-value = 0.05), indicating that their physical properties remained largely unaffected by the heat treatment imposed on the ceramics. The surface microtexture similarity between the PVA film and the one containing heated ceramics can be attributed to their comparable spatial complexity (FD = 2.41–2.44). Contact angle measurements further demonstrated similar surface wettability between pure PVA (54.5±1.4°) and PVA containing heated Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 /Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 ceramics (58.6±2.6°), which can be attributed to the resemblances in their surface microtextures. These findings highlight the pivotal role of heat treatment in the formation of Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 /Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 /PVA composites with surface and wettability properties akin to those of pure PVA films. This research contributes to the understanding of composite materials and their potential for various applications, including anticorrosive coatings, sensor devices, and surface engineering.