Preparation and characterization of two-dimensional sheet-shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) synthesized via γ-ray polymerization in nanoclay template

Two-dimensional sheet-shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) (2d-PMMA) with crosslinking only in the two-dimensional direction was synthesized via planar polymerization of MMA monomer in montmorillonite (MMT) nanolayers by using γ-ray irradiation, and the samples obtained were characterized. Size-exclusion chromatography with a multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS) measurements of the obtained sample showed bimodal peaks: a main peak with a longer elution time and an apparent molecular weight Mw,app and radius of gyration Rg in tetrahydrofuran (THF) similar to those for linear PMMA samples, and a subpeak with a shorter elution time and Mw,app and Rg evidently lower than those for the linear PMMA samples. This result indicated that polymers with moderate branching and crosslinking were contained in the subpeak. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation of the sample showed the presence of sheet-shaped molecules with a height of ca. 0.6 nm, corresponding to the thickness of one MMA monomer, and a width of several to several tens of nanometers, showing a broad distribution in molecular width. The subpeak portion was isolated via SEC fractionation, and its AFM observation showed thin circular disk-shaped molecules with relatively uniform size (i.e., a width of several tens of nanometers). However, in these molecules, two types of molecular heights (i.e., 0.6 and 1.2 nm) were identified. This result indicated that MMA monomers were filled as two layers within one MMT interlayer, and the polymerization reaction proceeded in that state. The similarity in the molecular size of 2d-PMMA observed via AFM and SEC-MALS was confirmed. These results demonstrated that the desired sheet-shaped polymers were obtained through the above synthesis and fractionation process.