A facile and cheap coating method to prepare SiO2/melamine-formaldehyde and SiO2/urea-formaldehyde composite microspheres

A facile and cheap coating route has been explored to prepare SiO2/melamine formaldehyde hybrid particles. In this process, SiO2 microspheres act as seeds, and a polycondensation reaction occurs on the surface of melamine-formaldehyde pre-polymers. Formaldehyde is essential in this coating process because it acts as a novel and cheap surface modification agent instead of a traditional silane coupling agent. Ultrasonic method is used in the synthesis to avoid aggregation of nano-and micro-particles. Most of the traditional methods preparing composite microspheres were implemented under difficult conditions and at high costs. The improved coating method is much more able to provide a convenient path for researchers and engineers to more easily and economically perform experiments and engage in manufacturing. To verify this convenient method, SiO2/urea-formaldehyde composite microspheres were also prepared. SEM images show that the surfaces of all the products are smooth and well-shaped. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.