Thermodynamics of Layered-Silicate/Block Copolymeric Nanocomposites via Self-Assembly Eric W. Cochran
Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
We are investigating a new class of materials in which fully exfoliated montmorillonite nanocomposites are prepared by kinetically controlled surface initiated living polymerizations
Surface Surface initiated Surface initiated ROMP/ATRP initiated ROMP/ATRP Surface initiated ROMP/ATRP
ROMP/ ATRP 100 nm
Surface functionalized MMT
aggregates Surface functionalized Surface functionalized Surface functionalized MMT aggregates MMT aggregates
Highly exfoliated MMT particles with
homopolymer brushes Highly exfoliated 100 Highly exfoliated 100nm nm Highly exfoliated 100 nm MMT particles MMT particles Block copolymer brushes grown from the montmorillonite surface self assemble into a fascinating array MMT particles of structures with large length scales, governed by the clay particle stiffness, dense confinement of with homopolywith homopolyhomopolychain ends to particle surface, as well aswith traditional chain stretching and segment-segment interactions. mer brushes mer brushes mer brushes
MMT aggregates
Surface initiated ROMP/ATRP
ROMP/
Self
ATRP
assembly
500 nm
500 nm
250 nm
500 nm
d Highly exfoliated MMT particles with homopoly-
100 nm
