Synthesis and Research of Nanocompositions of Oxide Materials Based on Titanium Dioxide for use as Contrast Agents in Optical Coherence Tomography

In this paper, the contrasting properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in various compositions were considered. In the course of the work, methods for the synthesis of oxide materials SiO2-TiO2, SiO2-ZrO2, TiO2-ZrO2 and SiO2-TiO2-ZrO2 were developed; the microstructure of oxide materials SiO2-TiO2, SiO2-ZrO2, TiO2-ZrO2and SiO2-TiO2-ZrO2was studied; the stability of oxide materials SiO2-TiO2, SiO2-ZrO2, TiO2-ZrO2and SiO2-TiO2-ZrO2 was determined. The elemental composition of the oxide materials SiO2-TiO2, SiO2-ZrO2, TiO2-ZrO2and SiO2-TiO2-ZrO2 has also been studied using SEM and XRD methods. It was found that SiO2-TiO2-ZrO2 nanocomposites with content of titanium dioxide from 8 to 9.5 % and zirconium dioxide from 0.5 to 2 % are completely insoluble in a highly alkaline medium. Thus, this composition is the most optimal for use as a contrast agent in optical coherence tomography.