Seeded RAFT Polymerization of Styrene for the Synthesis of Stable Dispersions of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers and Composite Nanoparticles

The regularities of the seeded polymerization of styrene in an aqueous-alcoholic medium in the presence of the seed particles of the triblock copolymer of acrylic acid and butyl acrylate, containing the trithiocarbonate group within the chain and acting as a reversible chain transfer agent, were studied for the first time. The influence of the composition of the dispersion medium and of the concentrations of components on the polymerization kinetics, molecular weight characteristics of the reaction products, and size distribution of the resultant particles was evaluated. Immobilization of the TiO2 nanoparticles on the polymeric particles of the block copolymers in the course of the seeded polymerization of styrene was carried out. Stable suspensions of the hybrid particles with an average diameter of 60 to 130 nm, comprising TiO2 and the block copolymer of acrylic acid, butyl acrylate, and styrene, were obtained.