Polymer nanocomposites with a uniform distribution of nanoparticles in a polymer matrix synthesized by the frontal polymerization technique

Abstract

The use of frontal polymerization as an efficient technological method for synthesizing polymeric nanocomposites based on polyacrylamide/FeO, SiO2, YBa2Cu3O7 − x, polymethylmethakrylate/SiO2 is offered. The advantages of frontal polymerization (which promotes the deagglomeration of nanoparticles, as well as the uniform distribution and preservation of the nanoparticle sizes in the obtained nanocomposites) are shown. The influence of the size of the SiO2 particles (10 nm, 0.6 mkm, and 30 mkm) on the macrokinetic laws of methylmethacrylate’s frontal polymerization is investigated. It is shown that, during the poly-merization process, the interaction between methylmethacrylate macromolecules and the surface of nanoparticles is observed. As a result a rigid amorphous fraction of polymer is formed on the phase boundary, which leads to an appreciable change in the relative heat capacity, glass transition temperature, and dynamicmechanical properties of nanocomposites, depending on filling degree.