Effect of MCM-41 nanoparticles on ARGET ATRP of styrene: Investigating thermal properties
A newly developed initiation technique, activators regenerated by electron transfer, was successfully employed to synthesize MCM-41/ polystyrene nanocomposites by in situ atom transfer radical polymerization. Hexagonal structure, surface area, and morphological study of the synthesized MCM-41 nanoparticles were performed by using powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy respectively. Conversion and molecular weight evaluation was carried out using gas chromatography and size exclusion chromatography respectively. Remarkable decrease of conversion from 69% to 43% was observed by the addition of only 3 wt% MCM-41 nanoparticles. However, polydispersity index increases from 1.14 to 1.41. Increasing of thermal stabilities and also reduction of T g by increasing MCM-41 nanoparticles loading were comprehended according to the results of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively.