Polystyrene–graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite synthesized by interfacial interactions between RAFT modified GO and core–shell polymeric nanoparticles

Abstract

Here we report simple and robust one-pot method for the preparation of polystyrene (PS)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite using reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) modified GO in surfactant free emulsion polymerization (SFEP). The results suggested that ionic comonomer, styrene sulfonate sodium salt (SS-Na), concentration plays vital role in forming PS/GO nanocomposite. X-ray and electron diffraction studies suggest that there is no recombination of GO sheets when moderate SS-Na concentration is used, resulting complete exfoliation of GO sheets in the PS/GO nanocomposite. The formation of core–shell particles in which PS is the core and polystyrene sulfonate sodium salt (PSS–Na) is the shell, and the specific interactions between functional groups of GO and PSS–Na are attributed as the driving forces for the PS/GO nanocomposite formation.