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Core‐shell ZrO 2 /PMMA composites via dispersion polymerization in supercritical fluid: Synthesis, characterization and mechanism
Author(s) -
Haldorai Yuvaraj,
Zong Tongqiang,
Shim JaeJin
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.34688
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , methyl methacrylate , supercritical fluid , polymer , poly(methyl methacrylate) , nanocomposite , polymerization , dispersion polymerization , supercritical carbon dioxide , emulsion polymerization , dispersion (optics) , radical polymerization , composite number , methacrylate , thermal stability , in situ polymerization , oxide , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , chemistry , physics , optics , metallurgy , engineering
Zirconia (ZrO 2 ) particles of average size 200 nm were synthesized by sol–gel method and formation of composites with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) via in situ radical dispersion polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) using a commercially available stabilizer poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐ g ‐pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (Monosil PCA). ZrO 2 particles were first surface‐modified by the silane coupling agent methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS), which is capable of copolymerizing with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and provide a reactive CC bond. SEM results revealed uniform morphological characteristics of the composite materials and good dispersions of the ZrO 2 particles. TEM analysis confirmed the core–shell morphology. The incorporation of ZrO 2 particles in the composites was endorsed by FT‐IR. The composites were also confirmed by TGA and XRD. The hybrid composites possess interesting thermal and optical transparency characteristics because of the uniform incorporation of ZrO 2 particles in the polymer matrix. In principle, this simple and environmentally friendly synthetic procedure can be employed to prepare other inorganic oxide containing polymer composites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011