Synthesis of Asymmetric Inorganic/Polymer Nanocomposite Particles via Localized Substrate Surface Modification and Miniemulsion Polymerization

Abstract

Asymmetric nanocomposite particle pairs of polystyrene and silica were prepared via one-step miniemulsion polymerization for the first time. The transmission electron microscopy images showed that these nanocomposite particle pairs were monodisperse and highly asymmetric in morphology. The key to obtaining the asymmetric nanocomposite particle pairs was the combination of miniemulsion polymerization and the local surface modification of silica substrates. Because of localized surface modification on the silica surface, the nucleation and formation of the polymer nodule in miniemulsion polymerization took place only in the modified area on the silica surface, thus ensuring the asymmetric morphology. The asymmetrical materials obtained by the facile and effective method will have significant potential applications in some areas including biomedical fields.

Surface topography and hydrophobicity of waterborne fluorinated acrylic/silica hybrid coatings

“…3b shows that FPA copolymer particles have grafted onto silica; however, there are limited amount of FPA particles grafted onto silica. Previous work has assigned the relatively low grafting density to the limited amount of MPS molecules on silica [28,30]; however, since the coverage efficiency of MPS on silica was more than 98%, the relatively low grafting is most probably due to steric hindrance among polymeric particles and limited compatibility between fluorine-containing polymers and silica. Fig.…”

Encapsulation of Inorganic Nanoparticles by Miniemulsion Polymerization

“…In the last years, some works presented the synthesis of asymmetric nanocomposites particles of polystyrene and silica via conventional (with a chemical initiator) [58,59] or radiation miniemulsion polymerization [60]. The key to obtain the asymmetric nanocomposite particle pairs was the combination of miniemulsion polymerization and the local surface modification of silica nanoparticles.…”

“…The key to obtain the asymmetric nanocomposite particle pairs was the combination of miniemulsion polymerization and the local surface modification of silica nanoparticles. Because of localized surface modification on the silica surface by using silane-coupling agents, such as n-octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODMS) [58,59] or TPM [60], the nucleation and formation of the polymer nodule in miniemulsion polymerization took place only in the modified area on silica surface, thus ensuring the asymmetry morphology. In addition, controlling the monomer/silica weight ratio, different morphological anisotropic PSt/silica hybrid particles were prepared (see Figure 4.5).…”

One-step synthesis of organic–inorganic hybrid asymmetric dimer particles via miniemulsion polymerization and functionalization with silver

“…Lattuada and Hatton [35] present a masking technique to graft polystyrene sodium sulfonate (PSSNa) or polydimethylamino ethylmethacrylate (PDMAEMA) onto the exposed surfaces of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-coated magnetite nanoparticles. Xu and co-workers [36] synthesized PS-SiO 2 hybrid asymmetric dimers by miniemulsion polymerization based on locally modified SiO 2 templates. To the best of our knowledge, most methods for preparing asymmetric particles are template-assisted; at least the three steps of template preparation, template modification, and asymmetric particle preparation are indispensable.…”