The synthesis, characterization of opal-poly(methyl methacrylate) graft polymer based on ICAR-ATRP and its effect on performance of poly (lactic acid)

ABSTRACT

In this work, initiators for continuous activator regeneration atom transfer radical polymerization was adopted to synthesize opal-poly(methyl methacrylate) graft polymer (opal-PMMA) with methyl methacrylate as monomer. The optimum reaction conditions obtained from orthogonal experiment were as follows: a ratio between ethyl-2-bromoisobutyrate and 2,2ʹ-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) of 1.5: 60 (mL: mg), reaction time of 9 h, the ratio between FeCl₃·6H₂O and triphenyl phosphine of 40: 40 (mg: mg) and reaction temperature of 80 °C. The structure of opal-PMMA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy combined with the water contact angles measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. Furthermore, poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/opal-PMMA composites were prepared by melt blending at different loading levels of opal-PMMA. In addition, the performance, crystallization, and thermal decomposition kinetics of PLA/opal-PMMA composites were studied. Especially, when 0.3 wt% opal-PMMA was added, the impact strength of PLA/opal-PMMA composites was improved by 192% and its crystallinity increased from 9.01% (PLA0) to 35.55%. Meanwhile, thermal decomposition kinetics indicated that opal-PMMA effectively improved the thermal stability of PLA bulk. Rheological test demonstrated that opal-PMMA enhanced the systematical rigidity of PLA compared with the pristine PLA, which could ascribe to the uniform dispersion of opal-PMMA and more entanglement points with PLA molecular.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Poly (lactic acid)
• modified opal
• crystallization
• performance
• rheological behavior

6. Data availability statement

The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an ongoing study.

Acknowledgments

Financial support from The University Research Program of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XJEDU2018I003) is greatly acknowledged.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the The University Research Program of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous Region of China [XJEDU2018I003].