Thermal stabilities of polystyrene/silica hybrid nanocomposites via microwave-assisted in situ polymerization

Serials of polystyrene/silica nanocomposites (PS/SNs) with different content of inorganic nanofillers were successfully prepared by the in situ bulk radical copolymerization of styrene with a macromonomers, methacryloxypropyl silica nanoparticles (MPSNs) under microwave irradiation. A percentage of grafting (PG%) of 33.14% could be achieved under the optimized polymerizing condition with a conversion of styrene (C%) of 98.92%. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analysis results of the products of the bulk radical copolymerization showed that the thermal stabilities of the resulting nanocomposites with MPSNs were better than the nanocomposite with bare silica nanoparticles and the latter was better than the pure polystyrene. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.