Synthesis, Structure, and Morphology of Polymer-Silica Hybrid Nanocomposites Based on Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate

Two types of polymer-silica nanocomposites have been prepared by undergoing free radical polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) either in the presence of HEMA-functionalized SiO(2) nanoparticles (Type 1) or during the simultaneous in situ growing of the silica phase through the acid-catalyzed sol-gel polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) (Type 2). Relationships between synthesis conditions, chemical structure, and resulting morphology have been studied. Type 1 systems exhibit a classical particle-matrix morphology, but where particles tend to form aggregates. Type 2 systems possess a finer morphology characterized by a very open massfractal silicate structure, which is believed to be bicontinuous with the organic phase at a molecular level. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 3172-3187, 1999