Improvement in the energy dissipation capacity of polypropylene composites through a surface modification of titanium dioxide particles with a dicarboxylic acid

•Chemical linkage of pimelic acid on the TiO2 surface by a free solvent reaction.•Linkage of pimelic acid on TiO2 surface is not affected by photo-degradation.•Modification of TiO2 improves the energy dissipation capacity of iPP composites.