Copper (0) Mediated Single Electron Transfer-Living Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate: Functionalized Graphene as a Convenient Tool for Radical Initiator.

Adhigan Murali,M Abdul Kader,Boopathi Appukutti Achuthan,Suryanarayanan Chandrasekaran,R Joseph Bensingh,Srinivasan Sampath,Mohan Sakar,N Suthanthira Vanitha,Sellamuthu N Jaisankar

doi:10.3390/polym12040874

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites have been synthesized by the covalent addition of bromide-functionalized graphene (Graphene-Br) through the single electron transfer-living radical polymerization technique (SET-LRP). Graphite functionalized with bromide for the first time via an efficient route using mild reagents has been designed to develop a graphene based radical initiator. The efficiency of sacrificial initiator (ethyl α-bromoisobutyrate) has also been compared with a graphene based initiator towards monitoring their Cu(0) mediated controlled molecular weight and morphological structures through mass spectroscopy (MOLDI-TOF) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis, respectively. The enhancement in thermal stability is observed for graphene-grafted-poly(methyl methacrylate) (G-g-PMMA) at 392 °C, which may be due to the influence ofthe covalent addition of graphene, whereas the sacrificial initiator used to synthesize G-graft-PMMA (S) has low thermal stability as analyzed by TGA. A significant difference is noticed on their glass transition and melting temperatures by DSC. The controlled formation and structural features of the polymer-functionalized-graphene is characterized by Raman, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, NMR, and zeta potential measurements. The wettability measurements of the novel G-graft-PMMA on leather surface were found to be better in hydrophobic nature with a water contact angle of 109 ± 1°.

Highlights

Graphene is a versatile class of two-dimensional carbon based macromolecule with single atom thickness [1]
We demonstrated the graphene-g-PMMA with the enhanced dewetting properties on the leather surface
In order to explore the formation a well-controlled grafting of PMMA ongraphene the surface of graphene, graphene, which mediated through ofSET-LRP, a bromide functionalized initiator was which mediated through

Summary

Introduction

Graphene is a versatile class of two-dimensional carbon based macromolecule with single atom thickness [1] Graphene and their related carbon-based materials have potential application in energy storage [2], biomedical devices [3], sensors [4], nanoelectronics [5], catalysis [6], and drug delivery [7]. Due to their high surface area to volume ratio, grpahene is being used to prepare high strength polymer nanocomposites with extraordinary physical, chemical, and mechanical properties [8]. Graphene on chemical exfoliation can produce graphene oxide (GO) with several hydrophilic groups such as -COOH and

Methods

Results

Conclusion