Visible light-induced surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate on titania/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite

Abstract

A novel visible light assisted photoredox catalyst system for surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is developed for polymer growth on the surface of titania/reduced graphene oxide (TiO₂/rGO) nanocomposites using tetrasulfonated copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPcS) as catalyst at ambient temperature. The synthesized composite was initially treated with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), and then functionalized with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide (BIBB) moieties, serving as a surface initiator for ATRP. In the present method, TiO₂/rGO acted as a photoactive material to reduce Cu(II) to a Cu(I) complex under visible light by a one-electron transfer process as well as a surface for ATRP initiator immobilization and gave polymer linked TiO₂/rGO composites. These hybrid materials were found to show high dispersability in organic solvents.