Using <i>in situ</i> polymerizations to create polymer/inorganic nanoparticle hybrid materials

Control of particle dispersion within a matrix is a critical consideration when designing hybrid polymer/inorganic nanoparticle materials. Reaction induced phase transitions (RIPT) have been effective in achieving stable and metastable states in polymer and hybrid material systems. However, the influence of factors such as particle miscibility, translational diffusion, and polymerization rate on dispersion require exploration. Here, poly(cyclooctadiene) (PCOD) functionalized nanoparticles are dispersed within poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) matrices by an in situ polymerization of a monomer and polymer-functionalized particle solution. The in situ polymerization arrests particle mobility as the matrix increases in chain length and is paired with an in situ grafting of the matrix chains to “soften” the enthalpic differences between components. The approach presented here is able to achieve a range of dispersion states dependent on graft chemistry and the rate of polymerization in different matrix chemistries.