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Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.

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Main Author: Chirowodza, Helen
Other Authors: Pasch, Harald
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
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access_status_str Open Access
author Chirowodza, Helen
author2 Pasch, Harald
author_browse Chirowodza, Helen
Pasch, Harald
author_facet Pasch, Harald
Chirowodza, Helen
author_sort Chirowodza, Helen
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71914
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:40:52.447Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2012
publishDateRange 2012
publishDateSort 2012
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71914 Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting Chirowodza, Helen Pasch, Harald Hartmann, Patrice C. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Chemistry and Polymer Science. Nanocomposites (Materials) Polymer clay Nanostructured materials Polymeric composites Addition polymerization Graft polymers Dissertations -- Polymer science Theses -- Polymer science Chemistry and Polymer Science Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In materials chemistry, surface-initiated reversible deactivation radical polymerisation (SI-RDRP) has emerged as one of the most versatile routes to synthesising inorganic/organic hybrid materials consisting of well-defined polymers. The resultant materials often exhibit a remarkable improvement in bulk material properties even after the addition of very small amounts of inorganic modifiers like clay. A novel cationic reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent with the dual purpose of modifying the surface of Laponite clay and controlling the polymerisation of monomer therefrom, was designed and synthesised. Its efficiency to control the polymerisation of styrene was evaluated and confirmed through investigating the molar mass evolution and chain-end functionality. The surface of Laponite clay was modified with the cationic chain transfer agent (CTA) via ion exchange and polymerisation performed in the presence of a free non-functionalised CTA. The addition of the non-functionalised CTA gave an evenly distributed CTA concentration and allowed the simultaneous growth of surface-attached and free polystyrene (PS). Further analysis of the free and grafted PS using analytical techniques developed and published during the course of this study, indicated that the free and grafted PS chains were undergoing different polymerisation mechanisms. For the second monomer system investigated n-butyl acrylate, it was apparent that the molar mass targeted and the monomer conversions attained had a significant influence on the simultaneous growth of the free and grafted polymer chains. Additional analysis of the grafted polymer chains indicated that secondary reactions dominated in the polymerisation of the surface-attached polymer chains. A new approach to separating the inorganic/organic hybrid materials into their various components using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) was described. The results obtained not only gave an indication of the success of the in situ polymerisation reaction, but also provided information on the morphology of the material. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out on the polymer-clay nanocomposite samples. The results showed that by adding as little as 3 wt-% of clay to the polymer matrix, there was a remarkable improvement in the thermal stability. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oppervlakgeïnisieerde omkeerbare deaktiveringsradikaalpolimerisasie (SI-RDRP) is een van die veelsydigste roetes om anorganiese/organiese hibriedmateriale (wat bestaan uit goed-gedefinieerde polimere) te sintetiseer. Die produk toon dikwels ʼn merkwaardige verbetering in die makroskopiese eienskappe – selfs na die toevoeging van klein hoeveelhede anorganiese modifiseerders soos klei. ʼn Nuwe kationiese omkeerbare addisie-fragmentasie kettingoordrag (RAFT) middel met die tweeledige doel om die modifisering van die oppervlak van Laponite klei en die beheer van die polimerisasie van die monomeer daarvan, is ontwerp en gesintetiseer. Die klei se doeltreffendheid om die polimerisasie van stireen te beheer is geëvalueer en bevestig deur die molêre massa en die funksionele groepe aan die einde van die ketting te ondersoek. Die oppervlak van Laponite klei is gemodifiseer met die kationiese kettingoordragmiddel (CTA) deur middel van ioonuitruiling en polimerisasie wat uitgevoer word in die teenwoordigheid van ʼn vrye nie-gefunksionaliseerde CTA. Die toevoeging van die nie-gefunksionaliseerde CTA het ʼn eweredig-verspreide konsentrasie CTA teweeggebring en die gelyktydige groei van oppervlak-gebonde en vry polistireen (PS) toegelaat. Verdere ontleding van die vrye- en geënte PS met behulp van analitiese tegnieke wat ontwikkel en gepubliseer is gedurende die verloop van hierdie studie, het aangedui dat die vry- en geënte PS-kettings verskillende polimerisasiemeganismes ondergaan. n-Butielakrilaat is in die tweede monomeer-stelsel ondersoek en dit was duidelik dat die molêre massa wat geteiken is en die geënte polimeerkettings. ʼn Nuwe benadering tot die skeiding van die anorganiese/organiese hibriedmateriale in hulle onderskeie komponente met behulp van asimmetriese vloeiveld-vloei fraksionering (AF4) is beskryf. Die resultate wat verkry is, het nie net 'n aanduiding gegee van die sukses van die in-situ polimerisasiereaksie nie, maar het ook inligting verskaf oor die morfologie van die materiaal. Termogravimetriese analise (TGA) is uitgevoer op die polimeer-klei nanosaamgestelde monsters. Die resultate het getoon dat daar 'n merkwaardige verbetering in die termiese stabiliteit was na die toevoeging van so min as 3 wt% klei by die polimeermatriks. Doctoral 2012-11-16T09:59:38Z 2012-12-12T08:16:47Z 2012-11-16T09:59:38Z 2012-12-12T08:16:47Z 2012-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71914 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xvii, 124 p. : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Nanocomposites (Materials)
Polymer clay
Nanostructured materials
Polymeric composites
Addition polymerization
Graft polymers
Dissertations -- Polymer science
Theses -- Polymer science
Chemistry and Polymer Science
Chirowodza, Helen
Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title_full Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title_fullStr Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title_full_unstemmed Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title_short Polymer-clay nanocomposites prepared by RAFT-supported grafting
title_sort polymer clay nanocomposites prepared by raft supported grafting
topic Nanocomposites (Materials)
Polymer clay
Nanostructured materials
Polymeric composites
Addition polymerization
Graft polymers
Dissertations -- Polymer science
Theses -- Polymer science
Chemistry and Polymer Science
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71914
work_keys_str_mv AT chirowodzahelen polymerclaynanocompositespreparedbyraftsupportedgrafting