Open AccessSynthesis of PMMA-HoVO4 nanocomposites by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization: radical effects
Author(s) -
Berna Bülbül,
Elif Yılmaz Pekçalışkan,
Seda Beyaz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
materials science poland
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2083-1331
pISSN - 2083-134X
DOI - 10.2478/msp-2019-0091
Subject(s) - materials science , emulsion polymerization , nanocomposite , potassium persulfate , polymerization , polymer , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , dispersion polymerization , radical polymerization , methyl methacrylate , coprecipitation , miniemulsion , dynamic light scattering , dispersion (optics) , polymer chemistry , composite material , nanotechnology , physics , optics , engineering
Poly(methyl methacrylate)-holmium orthovanadate (PMMA-HoVO 4 ) nanocomposites were synthesized using emulsifierfree emulsion polymerization system in two ways. In the first one, the HoVO 4 nanoparticle dispersion was added to the emulsion system before or after polymerization start ( in situ polymerization). In the other one, nanoparticle dispersion and polymeric latex were mixed together at room temperature (blending). Crystalline HoVO 4 nanoparticles (about 60 nm) were synthesized by coprecipitation method. Three different composite latexes were synthesized by varying the potassium persulfate concentration and the time of HoVO 4 nanoparticles addition. According to the dynamic light scattering analysis, the size of the polymer beads in the latexes is between 244.8 nm and 502.5 nm and the PDI values are in the range of 0.005 to 0.206. Infrared spectral analysis showed that HoVO 4 caused some changes in the structure of the polymer. Luminescence measurements attempted to determine optical properties of the nanocomposites. The results have shown that HoVO 4 nanoparticles do not protect their structure due to the reaction with persulfate radicals but that they enter the polymer beads and change the luminescence properties of the polymer forming a new material with different properties.