Nano-TiO2 is likely to agglomerate easily because of its high surface energy, which decreases its photocatalytic activity. Also the hydrophilic nature of the TiO2 restricts its usefulness in organic materials and in solution. Nano-TiO2 particles were modified by Span 60 in anhydrous ethanol in this paper. The powders were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that there were characteristic absorption peaks of Span 60 from the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles and the degree of aggregation of TiO2 particles has been decreased effectively after modification. The surface of TiO2 changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic.

Keywords: Nano-TiO2, Surface modification, Span 60, Hydrophobicity; Anhydrous ethanol.