SYNTHESIS OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE)-graft-POLYSTYRENE BY ATOM TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

The radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate was carried out via atomtransfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiated by ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate and catalyzed by CuBr/2,2'-bipyridinecomplex. This polymerization proceeds in a living fashion with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity. Theobtained copolymer was esterified with 2-bromoisobutylryl bromide yielding a macroinitiator, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-2-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy)ethyl methacrylate), and its structure was characterized by ~1H-NMR. This macroinitiator was used for ATRP of styrene to synthesize poly(methyl methacrylate)-graft-polystyrene. Themolecular weight of graft copolymer increased with the monomer conversion, and the polydispersity remained relatively low.The individual grafted polystyrene chains were cleaved from the macroinitiator backbone by hydrolysis and the hydrolyzed product was characterized by ~1H-NMR and GPC.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/soy protein green composites as gas barrier materials

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/soy protein(PMMA/SP) composites were prepared by emulsion polymerization method using potassium persulphate(KPS) as the radical initiator.The interaction of soy protein with PMMA was evidenced by Fourier transformed infrared(FT1R) spectroscopy.The structure of PMMA/SP composites was investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD) study and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The thermal properties of soy protein and PMMA/SP composites were compared with soy protein and virgin PMMA sample.PMMA/SP composites were found to be flame retardant materials from the measurement of limiting oxygen index(LOI) of samples.The oxygen permeability of PMMA/SP composites was substantially decreased as compared to virgin PMMA.     

SYNTHESIS AND POLYMERIZATION OF α-METHACRYLYOXYLETHYLOXYCARBONYLMETHYL-ω-(N,N-DIETHYLDITHIOCARBAMYL)POLYSTYRENE MACROMONOMERS

Polystyrene macromonomers with different molecular weight were prepared by radical polymerization of styrene(St) in benzene using β-methacryloxylethyl 2-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamylacetate (MAEDCA) as a monomer-iniferter.Characterization of the macromonomer by ~1H-NMR showed that the end groups were α-methacrylyoxylethyloxycarbonyl-methyl and ω-(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamyl). The macromonomer was difficult to homopolymerize, but it was easilycopolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated by AIBN to form graft copolymers (PMMA-g-PSt) with PStbranches randomly distributed along the PMMA backbone. Copolymerization reaction and the structure of the graftcopolymers were strongly affected by M_n and concentration of the macromonomer. The composition and M_n of the purified graft copolymer were determined by ~1H-NMR and GPC analysis.     

Rapid Fabrication of Hollow SiO2 Spheres with Novel Morphology

The hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) occurred on the surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microshperes immediately after these microshperes were prepared in TEOS. Micron-sized hollow SiO2 spheres were obtained by calcination of the coated PMMA microshperes. It was found that the final hollow spheres were constituted by small SiO2 particles.     

Structure Characterization and Thermal Properties of PMMA／Montmorillonite Nanocomposites via Emulsion Polymerization

Montmorillonite(MMT) modified with sodium silicate can change the arrangement of its layers fromedge-face and edge-edge to face-face. With the fine dispersion of the modified MMT in water, the cation-ex-change reaction was carried out with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) to obtain organo-montmoril-lonite (OMMT). As OMMT was uniformly dispersed in methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer, PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites were formed via a common emulsion polymerization. The products were extractedwith hot acetone and characterized by FTIR, molecular weight, X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission elec-tron microscopy(TEM), DSC and TGA. These results show that most of the OMMT layers have been exfo-liated, while the thermal stability is increased obviously. By means of FTIR spectral analysis, the ratios ofthe macromolecular radicals‘ termination of disproportionation patterns to combination are increased with theaddition of OMMT. This result further confirms the increase of the thermal degradation temperatures andglass transition temperatures of the PMMA/OMMT nanocomposites.     

Synthesis of Fullerene-end Functionalized Poly（methyl methacrylate） via Reverse Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

The use of the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization （RATRP） to end-functionalize poly（methyl methacrylate） （PMMA） with fullerenes, e.g. C60 and C70 was described in this paper. The Cl-terrninated PMMA was prepared via RATRP with designed molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distributions, and then directly used to react with fullerenes to produce C60（C70） terminated PMMA polymers in the presence of CuBr/Cu/bipy or FeCl2/bipy catalysts. The resultant polymers exhibit good solubility in some common organic solvents, e.g. THF, CHCl3 and toluene, and were well structurally characterized by a variety of physical techniques.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) core-shell particles prepared by seeded precipitation polymerization: Unusual morphology and thermo-sensitivity of zeta potential

Poly（methyl methacrylate）/poly（N-isopropylacrylamide） （PMMA/PNIPAM） core-shell particles were synthesized by seeded precipitation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAM） in the presence of PMMA seed particles. The anionic potassium persulfate was used as initiator, and acrylic acid as functional comonomer. It was shown that the weight ratio of the PNIPAM shell to the PMMA core can be greatly increased through continuous addition of NIPAM monomer at a relatively slow rate. PMMA/PNIPAM particles with different shell thickness were obtained by varying the amount of charged NIPAM monomers. These particles exhibited unique nonspherical core-shell morphology. PMMA core was partially coated by dense hair-like or antler-like PNIPAM shell depending on the shell thickness. The measurement of these particles＇ zeta potential at different temperatures showed that the absolute value of zeta potential unusually decreased as the particle size decreased with temperature.     

Microfluidic System for Synthesis of Trigonal Selenium Nanowires

<正>A microfluidic system was developed for the synthesis of trigonal selenium(t-Se) nanowires,which was composed of a glass microchip coupled with a poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) microchip.In the glass microchip, amorphous selenium(a-Se) colloid was prepared by reducing selenious acid with an excess amount of hydrazine at a temperature of 100℃.In the coupled PMMA microchip,a-Se was transformed into more stable t-Se seeds via sonication at room temperature.The residence time of the reactants in both microchips was optimized by varying the dimension and length of the microchannel each.The t-Se nanowires were formed by anisotropic growth of selenium crystallite during sonication and aging under the assistance ofβ-cyclodextrin(β-CD).Various stages of the nanowires' growth were investigated.The as-synthesized products were characterized by powder X-Ray diffraction(XRD),Raman spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and selected-area electron diffraction(SAED).     

SYNTHESIS OF SOAP-FREE ACRYLIC HYDROSOLS

Poly(methyl methacrylate/ethyl acrylate/acrylic acid) hydrosols were prepared by employing soap-freepolymerization, and (acrylic acid/butyl acrylate) oligomer was used as the polymeric surfactant The effect of reactioncondition on the morphology and particle size of the hydrosols was investigated. The minimum amount of acrylic acid in thehydrosols is 2%. The maximum weight average molecular weight (M_w) of polymer that assures soap-free emulsionconversion into hydrosol is about 1.2×10~5-1.3×10~5. The particle transforming process was investigated, and an obviouschange of particle diameter and morphology was observed.     

Microemulsion Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate

The microemulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate was studied. The effects of feeding modes on the structure and the properties of the obtained polymer microlatex were investigated by measuring the conversion, the transmittance and the refractive index of the latex, and by measuring the particle size, the molecular weight and the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the polymers. The results show that compared to the batch feeding mode, the semi-continuous feeding mode is more favorable to form a PMMA microlatex with a higher transmittance, a smaller particle size, a higher molecular weight and a higher T_g. And the obtained PMMA microlatex has a 30％—40％ (mass fraction) polymer content, a 0. 03 emulsifier/water weight ratio, a 0. 05 emulsifier/monomer weight ratio and a 17 nm average particle diameter, which is very important for the industrialization of the microemulsion polymerization technique.     

The disorderly exfoliated LDHs/PMMA nanocomposites synthesized by in situ bulk polymerization: The effects of LDH-U on thermal and mechanical properties

The disorderly exfoliated layered double hydroxides/poly(methyl methacrylate) (LDHs/PMMA) nanocomposites were obtained in a two-stage process by the in situ bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of 10-undecenoate intercalated LDH (LDH-U). The dispersed behavior of the LDH-U in the PMMA matrix was identified by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV/visible transmission spectroscopy. All these nanocomposites showed significantly enhancement of glass transition temperature (T_g) and the decomposition temperatures compared to pristine PMMA, as identified in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. The tensile modulus of these nanocomposites was also enhanced by incorporating the LDH-U into the PMMA matrix and increased as the amount of LDH-U increased. According to the analytical method of Ozawa-Flynn, the degradation activation energies of these nanocomposites are higher than that of pristine PMMA.     

Fire retardancy and biodegradability of poly(methyl methacrylate)/montmorillonite nanocomposite

The poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposite was prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion technique and its structure and properties were characterized with infra red, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and cone calorimetry. The highly exfoliated MMT layers with dimension 1-2 nm in thickness were randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix containing MMT lower than 5% w/v, whereas the intercalated structure was predominant with MMT content higher than 5% w/v. Consequently, the fine dispersion of the MMT and the strong interactions between PMMA and MMT created significant improvement of the thermo-stability and fire retardancy of the nanocomposite. The combustion behavior has been evaluated using oxygen consumption cone calorimetry. In addition, a scheme was proposed to describe fire retardancy of PMMA and MMT as well as the correlation between the interaction and structure in polymer/clay systems. The biodegradability of the nanocomposite fire-retardant was tested for its better commercialization.     

Thermal stability and fire retardancy of PMMA (nano)composites with layered metal hydroxides containing dodecyl sulfate anions

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with Mg/Al, Zn/Al, Ca/Al metal hydroxide layers, and a Zn/Ni hydroxy double salt (HDS) were prepared with a common anion, dodecyl sulfate [CH₃(CH₂)₁₀COO^?, DS]. The LDH and HDS additives were melt blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The dispersion and morphology were characterized via X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy. Mg/Al‐DS and Zn/Al‐DS LDHs were found to form nanocomposites with PMMA, exhibiting good dispersion and some degree of exfoliated morphology for the Zn/Al‐DS/PMMA combination and mixed intercalation and exfoliation behavior for Mg/Al‐DS in PMMA. The Ca/Al‐DS LDH and Zn/Ni‐DS HDS formed microcomposites with PMMA. Thermal stability was investigated via thermogravimetric analysis; each of the additives increased the thermal stability of PMMA. Cone calorimetry was used to measure the fire properties; the microcomposite of Zn/Ni‐DS HDS at 10% loading provided the best improvement in peak heat release rate, with a 40% reduction over the pure polymer. The residue composition after burning the composites was investigated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of Structural,Rheological and Thermal Properties of PMMA/ONi-Al LDH Nanocomposites Synthesized via Solvent Blending Method: Effect of LDH Loading

This article addresses the synthesis of organically tailored Ni-Al layered double hydroxide(ONi-Al LDH) and its use in the fabrication of exfoliated poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) nanocomposites. The pristine Ni-Al LDH was initially synthesized by co-precipitation method and subsequently modified using sodium dodecyl sulfate to obtain ONi-Al LDH. Nanocomposites of PMMA containing various amounts of modified Ni-Al LDH(3 wt%?7 wt%) were synthesized via solvent blending method to investigate the influence of LDH content on the properties of PMMA matrix. Several characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), rheological analysis, differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and thermo gravimetric analysis(TGA), were employed to examine the structural, viscoelastic and thermal properties of PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites. The results of XRD and TEM examination confirm the formation of partially exfoliated PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites. The FTIR results elucidate that the characteristic bands for both pure PMMA and modified LDH are present in the spectra of PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites. Rheological analyses were carried out to examine the adhesion between polymer matrix and fillers present in the nanocomposite sample. The TGA data indicate that the PMMA nanocomposites exhibit higher thermal stability when compared to pure PMMA. The thermal decomposition temperature of PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites increases by 28 K compared to that of pure PMMA at 15% weight loss as a point of reference. In comparison with pure PMMA, the PMMA nanocomposite containing 7 wt% LDH demonstrates improved glass transition temperature(Tg) of around 3 K. The activation energy(Ea), reaction orders(n) and reaction mechanism of thermal degradation of PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites were evaluated using different kinetic models. Water uptake capacity of the PMMA/OLDH nanocomposites is less than that of the pure PMMA.     

Synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites via emulsion polymerization using a zwitterionic surfactant

The synthesis of nanocomposites via emulsion polymerization was investigated using methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer, 10 wt % montmorillonite (MMT) clay, and a zwitterionic surfactant octadecyl dimethyl betaine (C18DMB). The particle size of the diluted polymer emulsion was about 550 nm, as determined by light scattering, while the sample without clay had a diameter of about 350 nm. The increase in the droplet size suggests that clay was present in the emulsion droplets. X-ray diffraction indicated no peak in the nanocomposites. Transmission electron microscopy showed that emulsion polymerization of MMA in the presence of C18DMB and MMT formed partially exfoliated nanocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry showed an increase of 18 degrees C in the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the nanocomposites. A dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer also verified a similar Tg increase, 16 degrees C, for the partially exfoliated nanocomposites over poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a 37 degrees C increase in the decomposition temperature for a 20 wt % loss. A PMMA nanocomposite with 10 wt % C18DMB-MMT was also synthesized via in situ polymerization. This nanocomposite was intercalated and had a Tg 10 degrees lower than the emulsion nanocomposite. The storage modulus of the partially exfoliated emulsion nanocomposite was superior to the intercalated structure at higher temperatures and to the pure polymer. The rubbery plateau modulus was over 30 times higher for the emulsion product versus pure PMMA. The emulsion technique produced nanocomposites of the highest molecular weight with a bimodal distribution. This reinstates that exfoliated structures have enhanced thermal and mechanical properties over intercalated hybrids.     

PMMA/黑云母纳米复合材料的制备及表征

采用乳液聚合法制备了聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯 黑云母 (PMMA VMT)纳米复合材料 ,其中的黑云母经甲基丙烯酰氧乙基三甲基氯化铵有机改性 ,所得复合材料经XRD、FT IR、DSC、TG等测试结果证明云母已经被有效的剥离 ,复合材料的耐热性能、玻璃化转变温度 (Tg)比PMMA都有所提高 ,但聚合反应速率有所下降 ,复合材料中可萃取的聚合物粘均分子量升高 .     

层离型PMMA/镁铁双氢氧化物纳米复合材料的热降解研究

通过原位聚合方法制备了以非水溶性聚合物(聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯,PMMA)为基体,与MgFe双氢氧化物(LDH)具有良好相容性的层离型纳米复合材料.采用小角、广角X射线衍射(XRD)及透射电镜(TEM)对纳米复合材料的微观结构进行了分析,通过热重分析(TG)和玻璃化转变研究了纳米复合材料在空气和氮气氛围下的热降解过程.实验结果表明,MgFe-LDH的引入显著提高了聚合物基体的热降解温度和玻璃化转变温度,纳米复合材料的热稳定性显著提高.其中含量1.6 wt%的层离型纳米复合材料在失重50%时的热降解温度比纯样提高约69℃.并且整个纳米复合体系的相容性良好,含量8.0 wt%的样品,其可见光透过率仍可达90%以上.     

Synthesis and characterization of polymer/clay nanocomposites by intercalated chain transfer agent

In situ synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites by free radical polymerization using intercalated chain transfer agent (I-CTA) in the layers of montmorillonite (MMT) clay is reported. MMT clay was ion-exchanged with diethyl octyl ammonium ethylmercaptan bromide, which acts both as suitable intercalant and as chain transfer agent. These modified clays were then dispersed in methyl methacrylate (MMA) or styrene (St) monomers in different loading degrees to carry out the in situ free radical polymerization. The intercalation ability of the chain transfer agent and exfoliated nanocomposite structure were evidenced by both X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal properties and morphologies of the resultant nanocomposites were also studied.     

Variation of benzyl anions in MgAl-layered double hydroxides: Fire and thermal properties in PMMA

Magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAl-LDHs) intercalated with a range of benzyl anions were prepared using the coprecipitation method. The benzyl anions differ in functionality (i.e. carboxylate, sulfonate, and phosphonate) and presence or absence of an amino substituent. Various methods for preparing LDHs (i.e. ion exchange, coprecipitation and rehydration of the calcined LDH methods) have been compared with the MgAl-benzene phosphonate and their effect on fire and thermal properties was studied. After characterization, the MgAl-LDHs were melt-blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at loadings of 3 and 10% by weight to prepare composites. Characterization of the LDHs and the PMMA composites was performed using FTIR, XRD, TGA, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cone calorimetry. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the presence of the charge balancing benzyl anions in the galleries of the MgAl-LDHs. Improvements in fire and thermal properties of the PMMA composites were observed. The cone calorimeter revealed that the addition of 10% MgAl-LDHs reduces the peak heat release rate by more than 30%.     

Polymer blend/organoclay nanocomposite with poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate)

A series of polymer blend/organoclay nanocomposite at a fixed blending ratio was prepared using equal ratio of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) via solvent casting method. With respect to nanoscale internal structure, we found that PMMA chains have better affinity with organoclay than PEO, based on the results from X-ray diffraction. Direct visualization via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also supported the better affinity of PMMA with organoclay by indicating the existence of hybrid structures of mainly intercalated but with some exfoliated forms. The miscible nature of the blend and homogeneous dispersion state of layered silicate in the blend system were investigated via the microscopic fractured surface morphologies. From rheological measurements (storage and loss modulus), we discovered the role of the physical network structure between polymer and organoclay to be a main factor for the enhancement of elastic properties.