Preparation of Methacrylate Polymer/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Particles Stabilized by Poly(ionic liquid) Block Copolymer via Miniemulsion Polymerization

Abstract

Poly(n‐butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite films are prepared using two different routes. The first route involves preparation of PnBMA nanoparticles containing homogeneously dispersed rGO nanosheets by miniemulsion polymerization using a block copolymer of ionic liquid (IL) monomer and nBMA. The IL units act as adsorption sites for rGO whereas BMA units provide solubility in the BMA monomer droplets. Nanocomposite films obtained from miniemulsion polymerization exhibit higher tensile modulus in comparison with the films prepared by mixing a PnBMA emulsion and aqueous graphene oxide (GO) dispersion. The second route involves preparation of PnBMA particles armored with rGO nanosheets via miniemulsion polymerization using the same poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) block copolymer. An anionic exchange reaction is conducted to obtain more hydrophilic PIL units in the block copolymer, thus providing adsorption sites of GO nanosheets at the interface of the polymer particles. Subsequent chemical reduction of GO to rGO using hydrazine monohydrate results in formation of a PnBMA/rGO nanocomposite. The resulting nanocomposite film exhibits electrical conductivity (2.0 × 10−3 S m−1).

Polymer particles armored with cobalt oxide nanosheets for the catalytic degradation of bisphenol A

“…[4][5][6] Many research groups, including our own, have used graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, with more recent efforts towards modifying the surface of the nanosheets to enable them to stabilize other fluid-fluid combinations (e.g., ionic liquid-water, ionic liquid-oil, oil-oil, etc.). [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] We have also recently demonstrated that transition metal carbide (MXene) and transition metal oxide (cobalt oxide) nanosheets can stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, if first flocculated by simple inorganic salt such as NaCl. 18,19 Compared to GO, these inorganic 2D surfactants are expected to not only provide kinetic stability to the emulsion, but to also impart favorable performance properties to any composite structures formed.…”

“…). 7–17 We have also recently demonstrated that transition metal carbide (MXene) and transition metal oxide (cobalt oxide) nanosheets can stabilize oil-in-water emulsions, if first flocculated by simple inorganic salt such as NaCl. 18,19 Compared to GO, these inorganic 2D surfactants are expected to not only provide kinetic stability to the emulsion, but to also impart favorable performance properties to any composite structures formed.…”

Synthesis, characterization, and property of ionized nano‐objects with defined phase separation

“…1 Combining the features of polymers and ions, these ionized polymers (IPs) have received tremendous attention owing to the amazing advantages, such as excellent ionic conductivity, 2,3 chemical compatibility, 4,5 non-flammability 6,7 and electrochemical stability, 8,9 and so forth. By introducing different cationic and anionic ions onto polymeric backbone, the IPs based materials with defined structures and functions have been successfully exploited, and widely used in polymer chemistry, electrochemistry, material science and energy science field, [10][11][12][13][14] and so forth. Typically, the IPs are dominantly prepared via two approaches, polymerization of ionic liquid monomers (ILMs) and post-modification of certain polymeric precursors.…”