We have been conducting polymerizations of isoprene onto the surface of 15 nm silica nanoparticles (NPs) using surface-initiated RAFT polymerization with controlled molecular weights and chain densities. These polymerizations resulted in 90% of 1,4 polyisoprene isomer which could be hydrogenated to poly(ethylene-co-propylene). Hydrogenation of polyisoprene-g-silica NPs via p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazide was explored and resulted in poly(ethylene-co-propylene)-g-silica NPs . We then investigated the dispersion of these “polyolefin-like”-grafted-particles in different polyolefins for their applications in reinforced nanocomposites. Preliminary results have shown promising results for the dispersion of these particles in a polypropylene matrix .

Hydrogenated polyisoprene-g-silica nanoparticles in polyolefin nanocomposites

255th National Meeting (2018)

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