Synthesis, Characterization and Photoinduced Cross-linking of Functionalized Poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) Copolymer/Clay Nanocomposite as Negative Image Patterning Material

Abstract

A novel strategy to prepare network structured polymer/clay nano composites, namely poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)/ montmorillonite (PCHMA-co-PHEMA/MMT) nanocomposites by combination atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photoinduced cross-linking processes is described. In the first step, ATRP initiator modified clay (MMT-Br) was prepared by treating the organo-modified clay, Cloisite 30B (MMT-OH) with 2-bromoisobutyryl. Subsequent copolymerization of cyclohexyl methacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate via ATRP using MMT-Br as initiator resulted in the formation of PCHMA-co-PHEMA/MMT nanocomposites. Then, methacrylate groups were introduced to the nanocomposite structure by reacting 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate isocyanate with the hydroxyl groups on of PCHMA-co-PHEMA chains. Finally, upon irradiation of the functional nanocomposite in the presence of the long wavelength absorbing photoinitiator, bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phenylphosphine oxide yielded network structured nanocomposites. The structures, thermal and morphological properties of the nanocomposites were investigated by spectral, thermal and microscopic analyses.