Synthesis and characterization of end-functional polymers on silica nanoparticles via a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and click chemistry

• Published in: Reactive & functional polymers Vol. 69; no. 6; pp. 393 - 399
• Main Authors: Wang, Yunpu, Chen, Jiucun, Xiang, Jiming, Li, Hongjun, Shen, Yongqian, Gao, Xianghu, Liang, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.06.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP); Click chemistry; Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers with particular structures; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Silica nanoparticles; Surface modification; Silica nanoparticles; Surface modification; Click chemistry; Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP); Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions; 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition; Surface reaction; Acetylenic compound; Amino group; End group; Nanoparticle; Atom transfer polymerization; Silica; Thermal stability; Hydroxyl group; Styrene polymer; Functional group; Graft polymers; Experimental study; Azides; Monodispersed polymer; Chemical modification; Morphology; Preparation; Nucleophilic substitution
• ISSN: 1381-5148
• DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2009.03.005

This article describes a divergent strategy to prepare grafted polymer chains with functional end groups for surface modification of nanoparticles with other functional groups. This preparation is achieved through a combination of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and click chemistry. First, the surface of the silica nanoparticles was modified with polystyrene (PSt) brushes via the “grafting from” approach. The terminal bromides of PSt-grafted silica nanoparticles were then substituted with azido groups. These azido-terminated PSt brushes on the nanoparticle surface were reacted with various alkyne-terminated functional end groups via click reactions. In all cases, FTIR and 1H NMR spectra indicated quantitative transformation of the chain ends of polystyrene brushes on silica nanoparticles into the desired functional group.