Polymer-grafted Nanoparticles (PGN) and PGN Arrays with Tailored Canopy Interactions
Abstract
The research reported here focused on developing a new synthesis strategy to enable scaleup of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNs) using an environmentally friendly 'grafting from' polymerization approach. This work described in this report was built on studies earlier in this program that developed new methods of emulation polymerization using living radical polymerization. Ludox is a family of commercially available silica (SiO2) nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution, making it an excellent model choice to develop a highly scalable synthesis process. The Ludox-TM 40 nanoparticles (26 nm)used in this work were first modified with an atom transfer radical polymerization initiator (ATRP). Subsequently, SiO2-polystyrene and SiO2-poly(methyl methacrylate) PGNs were synthesized in an aqueous mini-emulsion without the use of an organic solvent. Through the simultaneous addition of monomer and reducing agent, both the graft density and the molecular weight of the grafted polymer chains could be readily controlled. Furthermore, it was found that the directed localization of the polymerization in micelles can prevent the formation of unwanted side products, such as ungrafted polymer chains. The approach developed allows for the first time the efficient synthesis of PGNs of a broad variety of polymer compositions with a homogeneous polymer corona on a multigram scale.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 18, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1105854
Entities
People
- Christopher Ober
Organizations
- Cornell University