Synthesis and characterization of poly(?-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane)-grafted silica hybrid nanoparticles prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

Poly(?-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) (PMPTS)-grafted silica hybrid nanoparticles were prepared by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The resulting PMPTS-grafted silica hybrid nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), static water contact angle (WCA) measurement, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Combined FTIRS, NMR, XPS, SEM, and TGA studies confirmed that these hybrid nanoparticles were successfully prepared by surface-initiated ATRP. SEM and AFM studies revealed that the surfaces of the nanoparticles were rough at the nanoscale. In addition, the results of the static WCA measurements showed that the nanoparticles are of low surface energy and their surface energy reaches as low as 6.10 mN m-1. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012