One-step fabrication of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane modified silica and investigation of fluorinated polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite films
Abstract
Vinyl group containing silica (MSiO2) nanoparticles were prepared by the co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and applied in the miniemulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate (FA) to prepare fluorinated polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite particles. The morphology and particle size of MSiO2 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanocomposite films were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, visible light spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetry analyses (TGA). The effect of the amount of MSiO2 on the surface properties of the nanocomposite films was studied. Results showed that the MSiO2 nanoparticles presented a rough surface with a mean particle size of 200 nm. The nanocomposite film showed high transparency and the surface hydrophobicity of the fluorinated polyacrylate film was increased significantly by the incorporation of 0.04 g (0.46 wt% of monomers) of MSiO2 nanoparticles. The presence of MSiO2 contributed to the surface enrichment of the fluorinated components, and the nanocomposite film formation mechanism was proposed.