Anchoring of polyacrylate onto silica and formation of polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite particles via in situ emulsion polymerization

Polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite latex particles were prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization of acrylate monomers initiated by 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AIBA) adsorbed by silica nanoparticles. The anchoring of polyacrylate (ACR) onto silica nanoparticles was achieved through the physical absorption and chemical grafting reaction. The elution and HF etching experiments showed that most silica nanoparticles were encapsulated by ACR to form the raspberry-like ACR/silica nanocomposite latex particles. The silica nanoparticles with a greater grafting degree of ACR tended to locate in the bulk of the polymer, and the silica particle with a lower grafting degree would not be combined with polymer latex particles and always remained in water phase. The formation of the final ACR/silica nanocomposite latex particles included the anchoring of ACR onto silica primary particles, aggregation of silica primary particles to form the silica-containing latex particles, and the growth of latex particles.