Abstract
In situ synthesis of polystyrene nanocomposites by living free radical polymerisation using intercalated TEMPO (2,2,6,6 tetramethyl piuperidine-N-oxy)-mediated chain transfer agent in the layers of montmorillonite clay is reported. An ammonium initiator to be used for nitroxide-mediated radical polymerisation (NMRP) was synthesised in a three-step procedure. The esterification of 11-bromo-1-undecanol with α-phenyl chloroacetyl chloride yielded α-phenyl chloroacetylated undecanol. Second, the chlorine groups were converted to nitroxide-mediated groups by coupling with 1-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO–OH). The subsequent reaction of NMRP macroinitiator with trimethylamine produced the NMRP surface modifier. These modified clays were then dispersed in styrene (St) monomers in different loading degrees to carry out the in situ free radical polymerisation. The intercalation ability of the chain transfer agent and exfoliated nanocomposite structure were evidenced by both X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Thermal properties and morphologies of the resultant nanocomposites were also studied.
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