Tailor‐made hybrid nanostructure of poly(ethyl acrylate)/clay by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

Hybrid nanoarchitecture of tailor‐made Poly(ethyl acrylate)/clay was prepared by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP), by tethering ATRP initiator on active hydroxyl group, present in surface as well as in the organic modifier of the clay used. Extensive exfoliation was facilitated by using these initiator modified clay platelets. Poly(ethyl acrylate) chains with controlled polymerization and narrow polydispersities were forced to be grown from within the clay gallery (intergallery) as well as from the outer surface (extragallery) of the clay platelets. The polymer chains attached onto clay surfaces might have the potential to provide the composites with enhanced compatibility in blends with common polymers. Attachment of the initiator on clay platelets was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), elemental analysis, Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), and microscopic analysis. Finally, end group analysis (by Matrix‐Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry, and chain extension experiment) of the cleaved polymer and morphological study (by WAXD, Transmission Electron Microscopy), performed on the polymer grafted clays examined the effect of grafting on the efficiency of polymerization and the degree of dispersion of clay tactoids in polymer. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5014–5027, 2008