Polystyrene/magnesium hydroxide nanocomposite particles prepared by surface-initiated in-situ polymerization

In order to avoid their agglomeration and incompatibility with hydrophobic polystyrene substrate, magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles were encapsulated by surface-initiated in-situ polymerization of styrene. The process contained two steps: electrostatic adsorption of initiator and polymerization of monomer on the surface of magnesium hydroxide. It was found that high adsorption ratio in the electrostatic adsorption of initiator could be attained only in acidic region, and the adsorption belonged to typical physical process. Compared to traditional in-situ polymerization, higher grafting ratio was obtained in surface-initiated in-situ polymerization, which can be attributed to weaker steric hindrance. Both Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that polystyrene/magnesium hydroxide nanocomposite particles had been successfully prepared by surface-initiated in-situ polymerization. The resulting samples were also analyzed and characterized by means of contact angle testing, dispersibility evaluation and thermogravimetric analysis.