Polymer nanocomposites are a new class of materials filled with inorganic nanoparticles. Compared with microcomposites (which use µm sized filler particles)- they exhibit improved properties. However the filler used should fulfill the condition of appropriate surface modification degree in order to achieve good compatibility with the polymeric matrix. One of possible ways to attain this is polymer grafting.
The goals of the presented work were twofold: synthesis of organosilicon microgel nanoparticles grafted with polystyrene and subsequent evaluation of their ability to modify block copolymer matrices.
The microgels were produced in a sol-gel process carried out in microemulsion according to method developed by Baumann et al [1]. The average diameter of nanoparticles ranged from 20 to 30 nm. After surface modification with appropriate initiator they were used as macroinitiators in controlled radical polymerization using the ATRP mechanism [2].
Spherical core-shell structures with grafting density values between 0,14 and 0,31 [nm-2] were obtained. GPC analysis of the cleaved chains revealed molecular weight ranging from 8500 to 29500 [g/mol] with average polidyspersity about 1,10.
Prepared core-shell structures after property characterization were used as modifying agents for elastoplastic block copolymers. The morphology and physical properties of the resulting systems were examined using such techniques as: SAXS, SEM, rheometry and TGA.
[1] Baumann F. et al. Macromolecules 1994, 27, 6102
[2] Pyun J. et al. Macromolecules 2003, 36, 5094

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