A Convenient Method for Preparation of Well-defined poly (4-chloromethyl styrene-g-Styrene)/TiO2 Nanocomposite via RAFT Technique

Much attention has been paid to the preparation of polymer/nanometer-sized inorganic particles nanocomposites due to their attractive mechanical, thermal, optical, electrical and magnetic properties. A simple synthetic route for the preparation of a novel solution copolymer derived from styrene and chloromethyl styrene and its nanocomposite with well-defined structure is demonstrated. Well defined poly (4-chloromethyl styrene-g-Styrene) grafted TiO2 nanoparticles were produced through Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer polymerization (RAFT) technique. After TiO2 nanoparticles were modified by esterification reaction of TiO2 nanoparticles with 4-cyano-4-[(phenyl carbon thiol) solfanyl] valeric acid RAFT agent, poly (4-chloromethyl styrene-g-Styrene) copolymers were synthesized by ‘‘living’’ free radical polymerization initialized from the surface of titanium fillers that anchored to RAFT agent and polymerization started from RAFT agent. The prepared materials were characterized by TEM, FTIR, and H NMR techniques. Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on thermal properties and glass transition temperature of copolymer was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric techniques.