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Synthesis of hybrid free and nanoporous silica aerogel‐anchored polystyrene chains via in situ atom transfer radical polymerization
Author(s) -
MirshafieiLangari SeyedAtaollah,
HaddadiAsl Vahid,
RoghaniMamaqani Hossein,
Sobani Masoud,
Khezri Khezrollah
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.22565
Subject(s) - aerogel , nanoporous , polystyrene , materials science , atom transfer radical polymerization , polymer chemistry , double bond , chemical engineering , radical polymerization , polymerization , styrene , methacrylate , gel permeation chromatography , copolymer , composite material , polymer , nanotechnology , engineering
Polystyrene nanocomposite with mixed free and anchored chains was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. Attachment of 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate with a double bond on the nanoporous silica aerogel surface results in a double bond grafted silica aerogel which could be incorporated into the polystyrene chains by a grafting‐through process. Conversion and molecular weight evaluation was carried out using gas chromatography and gel permeation chromatography, respectively. Double bond containing silica aerogel has an inconsiderable effect on conversion. There is no considerable discrepancy between the molecular weights of the free and anchored chains. Addition of silica aerogel with pendant CC bonds leads to increase of apparent rate constant of polymerization and also molecular weights. This is mainly because of initiator trapping in silica aerogel pores. Every percent of double bond containing silica aerogel with respect to styrene results in trapping of about 0.08 mol of ethyl alpha‐bromoisobutyrate among the silica pores. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1648–1654, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers