ENHANCED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE/SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES WITH SURFACE MODIFICATION OF NANO-SILICA VIA IN SITU COPOLYMERIZATION OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AND BUTYL ACRYLATE

Nano-sized silica particles were modified with methacryloxy-propyltrimethoxysilane(MPS) followed by in situ copolymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA) and butyl acrylate(BA).These modified nanoparticles were compounded with polypropylene(PP) to prepare PP/silica nanocomposites.PMMA grafted on nano-silica enhances the dispersion of the nanoparticles and interfacial adhesion,decreases the size of PP spherulites in nanocomposites and leads to increasing the Young's modulus and toughness of PP/silica nanocomp...