Investigations in two-step ultrasonic synthesis of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites by in–situ emulsion polymerization

Chitosan-ZnO Nanocomposites Assessed by Dielectric, Mechanical, and Piezoelectric Properties

The aim of this work is to structurally characterize chitosan-zinc oxide nanoparticles (CS-ZnO NPs) films in a wide range of NPs concentration (0-20 wt.%). Dielectric, conductivity, mechanical, and piezoelectric properties are assessed by using thermogravimetry, FTIR, XRD, mechanical, and dielectric spectroscopy measurements. These analyses reveal that the dielectric constant, Young's modulus, and piezoelectric constant (d33) exhibit a strong dependence on nanoparticle concentration such that maximum values of referred properties are obtained at 15 wt.% of ZnO NPs. The piezoelectric coefficient d33 in CS-ZnO nanocomposite films with 15 wt.% of NPs (d33 = 65.9 pC/N) is higher than most of polymer-ZnO nanocomposites because of the synergistic effect of piezoelectricity of NPs, elastic properties of CS, and optimum NPs concentration. A three-phase model is used to include the chitosan matrix, ZnO NPs, and interfacial layer with dielectric constant higher than that of neat chitosan and ZnO. This layer between nanoparticles and matrix is due to strong interactions between chitosan's side groups with ZnO NPs. The understanding of nanoscale properties of CS-ZnO nanocomposites is important in the development of biocompatible sensors, actuators, nanogenerators for flexible electronics and biomedical applications.

Sonication-assisted synthesis of a new heterostructured schiff base ligand Silver-Guar gum encapsulated nanocomposite as a visible light photocatalyst

A heterostructured Schiff base ligand (Benzildiethylenetriamine)-Silver-Guar gum encapsulated nanocomposites was intended to prepare by simple sonication assisted reflux method. Appropriate composition of purified guar gum, Schiff base ligand and silver nitrate were used for the synthesis. The synthesised nanocomposites were characterised by photoluminescence spectrum, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The crystalline peaks of XRD and FTIR reveals that Schiff base ligand and guar gum forms metal-organic matrix. Morphology studies have confirmed the organic framework structure and metallic silver nanoparticles are embedded on the organic framework. The efficiency of nanocomposites depends on adsorption capacity and silver nanoparticles that are encapsulated thereby increasing the visible light absorption through surface plasma resonance. The nanocomposite was proved to be highly selective in hydrogenation reaction which favoured the formation of aniline from nitrobenzene as single product with short reaction time and 90% conversion.

Emulsion and miniemulsion techniques in preparation of polymer nanoparticles with versatile characteristics

In recent years, polymer nanoparticles (PNPs) have found their ways into numerous applications extending from electronics to photonics, conducting materials to sensors and medicine to biotechnology. Physical properties and surface morphology of PNPs are the most important parameters that significantly affect on their exploitations and can be controlled through the synthesis process. Emulsion and miniemulsion techniques are among the most efficient and wide-spread methods for preparation of PNPs. The objective of this review is to present and highlight the recent developments in the advanced PNPs with specific properties that are produced through emulsion and miniemulsion processes.

Architecture of Biomimetic Water Oxidation Catalyst with Mn4CaO5 Clusterlike Structure Unit

Mn₄CaO₅ cluster in green plant is considered as the ideal structure for water oxidation catalysis. However, this structure is difficult to be constructed in heterogeneous catalyst because of its distorted spatial structure and unique electronic state. Herein, we report the synthesis of two-dimensional biomimetic Ca-Mn-O catalyst with Mn₄CaO₅ clusterlike structure through ultrasonic-assisted reduction treatment toward Ca-birnessite. The synergistic effect between ultrasonic and reduction successfully reduced the Mn oxidation state in Ca-birnessite without breaking the structure of MnO₂ monolayers, forming a regular two-dimensional structure with Mn₄CaO₅ cubanelike structure unit for the first time. The biomimetic catalyst shows a superior water oxidation activity (turnover frequency = 3.43 s^-1), which is the best in manganese-based heterogeneous catalyst to date. This work provides a new strategy for the precise synthesis of specific structure and exhibits a great prospect of biomimic in heterogeneous catalyst.

Easy fabrication of poly(butyl acrylate)/silicon dioxide core-shell composite microspheres through ultrasonically initiated encapsulation emulsion polymerization

In this study, instead of using the usual chemical methods, poly(butyl acrylate)/silicon dioxide (PBA/SiO₂) core-shell composite microspheres were prepared using a physical method-ultrasonically initiated encapsulation emulsion polymerization. The morphology and particle size of the PBA/SiO₂ microspheres were analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The encapsulation state was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The composition and thermogravimetric behavior were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TEM and DLS results show that monodisperse PBA/SiO₂ core-shell composite microspheres were successfully obtained. The diameter and shell thickness were 150 nm and 15 nm, respectively. The XPS and FTIR results show that there was no new chemical bond between the PBA shell and the SiO₂ core. They were just combined by physical adsorption. The encapsulation efficiency of SiO₂ microspheres by PBA is 8.2% through TGA. In addition, this article focuses on the formation mechanism of PBA/SiO₂ core-shell microspheres prepared through ultrasonically initiated encapsulation emulsion polymerization. Intuitive observation and the results of TEM and DLS, especially the change in zeta potential, clearly indicate an encapsulation process. Thereinto, a bilayer-structure space established by appropriate amount of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) molecules is the key to realize ultrasonically initiated encapsulation emulsion polymerization.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis and characterization of magnetite nanoparticles and poly(methyl methacrylate)/magnetite nanocomposites

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/magnetite (PMMA/Fe₃O₄) nanocomposites were prepared with a two-step technique involving sonication. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasound-assisted co-precipitation, and then PMMA/Fe₃O₄ (1-5 wt%) nanocomposites were synthesized via ultrasound-assisted in-situ emulsion polymerization. Best physical properties of the nanocomposites for different Fe₃O₄ loadings were: tensile strength (2 wt%) = 40.28 MPa, Young's modulus (2 wt%) = 2.4 GPa, percentage elongation (2 wt%) = 2.24%, glass transition temperature (2 wt%) = 122.5 °C, thermal inflection point (2 wt%) = 383 °C, electrical conductivity (5 wt%) = 2.0 × 10^-13 S/cm, coercivity = 59.85 Oe (2 wt%), magnetic saturation (5 wt%) = 5.12 emu/g, magnetic remanence (5 wt%) = 0.56 emu/g, and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (5 wt%) = 1.45 dB. This unique combination of physical properties at relatively low Fe₃O₄ loading is attributed to ultrasound-mediated uniform dispersion of the nanofiller in the polymer matrix.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of poly(MMA-co-BA)/ZnO nanocomposites with enhanced physical properties

The present study reports synthesis and characterization of poly(MMA-co-BA)/ZnO nanocomposites using ultrasound-assisted in-situ emulsion polymerization. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was copolymerized with butyl acrylate (BA), for enhanced ductility of copolymer matrix, in presence of nanoscale ZnO particles. Ultrasound generated strong micro-turbulence in reaction mixture, which resulted in higher encapsulation and uniform dispersion of ZnO (in native form - without surface modification) in polymer matrix, as compared to mechanical stirring. The nanocomposites were characterized for physical properties and structural morphology using standard techniques such as XRD, FTIR, particle size analysis, UV-Visible spectroscopy, electrical conductivity, TGA, DSC, FE-SEM and TEM. Copolymerization of MMA and BA (in presence of ZnO) followed second order kinetics. Thermal stability (T_10%=324.9°C) and glass transition temperature (T_g=67.8°C) of poly(MMA-co-BA)/ZnO nanocomposites showed significant enhancement (35.1°C for 1wt% ZnO and 15.7°C for 4wt% ZnO, respectively), as compared to pristine poly(MMA-co-BA). poly(MMA-co-BA)/ZnO (5wt%) nanocomposites possessed the highest electrical conductivity of 0.192μS/cm and peak UV absorptivity of 0.55 at 372nm. Solution rheological study of nanocomposites revealed enhancement in viscosity with increasing ZnO loading. Maximum viscosity of 0.01Pa-s was obtained for 5wt% ZnO loading.

Enhancement of thermal and mechanical properties of poly(MMA-co-BA)/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites by ultrasound-assisted in-situ emulsion polymerization

This study reports synthesis and characterization of poly(MMA-co-BA)/Cloisite 30B (organo-modified montmorillonite clay) nanocomposites by ultrasound-assisted in-situ emulsion polymerization. Copolymers have been synthesized with MMA:BA monomer ratio of 4:1, and varying clay loading (1-5wt% monomer). The poly(MMA-co-BA)/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites have been characterized for their thermal and mechanical properties. Ultrasonically synthesized nanocomposites have been revealed to possess higher thermal degradation resistance and mechanical strength than the nanocomposites synthesized using conventional techniques. These properties, however, show an optimum (or maxima) with clay loading. The maximum values of thermal and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites with optimum clay loading are as follows. Thermal degradation temperatures: T_10%=320°C (4wt%), T₅₀=373°C (4wt%), maximum degradation temperature=384°C (4wt%); glass transition temperature=64.8°C (4wt%); tensile strength=20MPa (2wt%), Young's modulus=1.31GPa (2wt%), Percentage elongation=17.5% (1wt%). Enhanced properties of poly(MMA-co-BA)/Cloisite 30B nanocomposites are attributed to effective exfoliation and dispersion of clay nanoparticles in copolymer matrix due to intense micro-convection induced by ultrasound and cavitation. Clay platelets help in effective heat absorption with maximum surface interaction/adhesion that results in increased thermal resistivity of nanocomposites. Hindered motion of the copolymer chains due to clay platelets results in enhancement of tensile strength and Young's modulus of nanocomposite. Rheological (liquid) study of the nanocomposites reveals that nanocomposites have higher yield stress and infinite shear viscosity than neat copolymer. Nonetheless, nanocomposites still display shear thinning behavior - which is typical of the neat copolymer.

Synergistic effect of ultrasonication and phase transfer catalysts in radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate - A kinetic study

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been polymerized to poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) by employing three different phase transfer catalysts (PTC) such as 1,4-bis(dimethylhexyl)ethylenediammoniumbromide (DMHEDAB), 1,4bis(dimethylheptyl)ethylenediammoniumbromide (DMH1EDAB) and 1,4-bis(dimethyloctyl)ethylenediammonium bromide (DMOEDAB) under the influence of ultrasound radiation. The radical polymerization was performed under unstirred condition at a temperature of 60±1°C in an oxygen free atmosphere employing water soluble K₂S₂O₈ as initiator. Various parameters such as role of [Monomer], [Initiator], [PTC], solvent and temperature were investigated on rate of polymerization (Rp) and the synergic efficacy of ultrasound wave variation and phase transfer catalysts were also assessed. It was found that the rate of polymerization (Rp) increased drastically for all the three catalyst under the influence of ultrasound and the order of efficiency was found to be [Formula: see text] This increase may be due to the number of carbon chain attached to the polar group which facilitate and accelerate the rate of polymerization.