One-step fabrication of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane modified silica and investigation of fluorinated polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite films

Abstract

Vinyl group containing silica (MSiO₂) nanoparticles were prepared by the co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and applied in the miniemulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate (FA) to prepare fluorinated polyacrylate/silica nanocomposite particles. The morphology and particle size of MSiO₂ was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanocomposite films were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, visible light spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetry analyses (TGA). The effect of the amount of MSiO₂ on the surface properties of the nanocomposite films was studied. Results showed that the MSiO₂ nanoparticles presented a rough surface with a mean particle size of 200 nm. The nanocomposite film showed high transparency and the surface hydrophobicity of the fluorinated polyacrylate film was increased significantly by the incorporation of 0.04 g (0.46 wt% of monomers) of MSiO₂ nanoparticles. The presence of MSiO₂ contributed to the surface enrichment of the fluorinated components, and the nanocomposite film formation mechanism was proposed.