Synthesis, Characterization and Thermal Properties of Polystyrene Grafting Silica Nanocomposites

Abstract

Polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles were prepared by grafting styrene  from The surface of silica nanoparticles using atom-transfer radical polymerisationtion (ATRP). Cross-linking and macroscopic gelation were avoided by using a miniemulsion system. The thermal behaviors of the nanocomposites have been examined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Grafting polystyrene chains from the nanoparticle surface produced nanocomposites with a glass transition temperature (Tg) approximately 10 °C higher than that of pure polystyrene, as evidenced by both DSC and DMTA measurements. Furthermore, DMTA revealed that the chain-grafted nanocomposites exhibited an increased storage modulus and significantly reduced high-temperature damping relative to neat polystyrene, indicating enhanced thermal–mechanical performance due to polymer–particle interactions.