Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)-Modified Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

This paper reports a surface functional polymer- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) was grafted on the surface of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. It has been demonstrated that Reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) agent was successfully grafted onto the surface of ZnO. PNIPAM chains were successfully grafted from the surface of ZnO via RAFT process by using RAFT agent immobilized on ZnO. The effect of surface modification on the size, structure, morphology, and properties of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. The thickness of a PNIPAM monolayer bound to the ZnO core is somewhat larger than the size of the random coil of the corresponding free PNIPAM in aqueous solution, which suggests that the conformation of a PNIPAM chain bound to the ZnO core is extended.