Preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) tri-layer core–shell nanoparticles and their postpolymerization modification via catalytic latex hydrogenation

Abstract

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene/poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) (PMMA/PS/NBR) tri-layer core–shell elastomeric nanoparticles were synthesized using a facile and robust one-pot semibatch emulsion polymerization technique which allows for scale-up for industrial production. The prepared core–shell polymer nanoparticles consist of a PMMA core, PS secondary layer, and diene-containing NBR outer shell. These nanoparticles were subsequently chemically modified via a “green” postpolymerization process, i.e., catalytic latex hydrogenation without the assistance of any organic solvent. As the hydrogenated product, PMMA/PS/HNBR (hydrogenated NBR) tri-layer core–shell nanoparticles were obtained. The rate of hydrogenation was considerably fast and a high degree of hydrogenation was achieved. Meanwhile no crosslinking was observed for the polymers after the hydrogenation process. This study is expected to extend the research relating to the synthesis of polymer nanoparticles with complex architecture and “green” chemical modification of unsaturated polymers in the aqueous phase.