Synthesis of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hybrid nanofibers via electrospinning

BaTiO3 nanoparticielpoly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hybrid nanofibers were fabricated from an in situ synthesized BaTiO3 nanoparticle/polymer hybrid by electrospinning. The bulk hybrid for nanofibers was synthesized through the in situ hydrolysis of Ba-Ti alkoxide modified with 2-vinyl-oxyethanol and subsequent copolymerization with HEMA monomer. IR and (13C) NMR spectra showed the formation of polymer matrix. The molecular weights of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid for spinning were 1.3 x 10(5) for 20 equiv. PHEMA and 5.7 x 10(5) for 30 equiv. PHEMA. The crystallite size of BaTiO3 particles in the hybrid was 4.5 nm according to the Scherrer equation. The diameter of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid nanofibers ranged from 500 nm to 1 mu m. A field stress-strain curve was observed for the BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid nanofiber. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.