Nano Methods in Polymer Synthesis and Processing: Carboxyl/Anhydride Functionalized Copolymers for Nanoengineering Applications

Abstract

This review summarizes recent advances in the different synthetic routes to polymer silicate layered nanocomposites and polymer/silica (metal oxides, functionalized carbon nanotubes, etc.) hybrids including (a) interlamellar (co)polymerization and controlled/living copolymerization of various functional monomers using the concept of ‘nano-reactor’, (b) macromolecular reactions between anhydride-containing copolymers and organosilanes to produce polymer/silica hybrid materials (sol-gel method), and (c) intercalation/exfoliation of copolymers and grafts of maleic anhydride between silicate galleries through compounding of various polymer blends in melt by reactive extrusion systems. Special attention is devoted to the mechanism of in situ grafting reactions and H-bonding effect in the reactive blend processing and nano-structure formation. The role of functionaized organo-nanofillers and their preintercalated complexes with carboxyl/ anhydride containing monomers in the preparation of important polymer nanomaterials is also highlighted. The structural details, unique properties and application areas of these new class nonocomposites and high performance engineering polymer materials have also been described
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