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Refractive Index Engineering of Polymer Nanocomposites Prepared by End-grafted Polymer Chains onto Inorganic Nanoparticles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 May 2011

Peng Tao ,
Anand Viswanath ,
Yu Li ,
Atri Rungta ,
Brian C. Benicewicz ,
Richard W. Siegel  and
Linda S. Schadler
Peng Tao
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, U. S. A.
Anand Viswanath
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and USC NanoCenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U. S. A.
Yu Li
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and USC NanoCenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U. S. A.
Atri Rungta
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and USC NanoCenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U. S. A.
Brian C. Benicewicz
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and USC NanoCenter, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U. S. A.
Richard W. Siegel
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, U. S. A.
Linda S. Schadler
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, U. S. A.
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Abstract

Transparent polymer nanocomposites with high refractive index were prepared by grafting polymer chains onto TiO2 nanoparticles. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was used to prepare poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer brushes grafted from TiO2 nanoparticles. The refractive index of the hybrid material increased from 1.49 for neat PMMA to 1.6 by increasing the loading of TiO2 to 40 weight percent. UV-vis spectra showed that grafted particles had a transparency of more than 90% in the visible light range. The hybrid particles can be processed into transparent, high refractive index coatings and self-standing films. The grafted TiO2 nanoparticles can also be easily dispersed into a polymer matrix forming thick, robust transparent polymer nanocomposites.

Keywords

optical propertiespolymercomposite
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1359: Symposium NN – Electronic Organic and Inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials—Synthesis, Device Physics and Their Applications , 2011 , mrss11-1359-nn08-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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