In Situ Controlled Radical Polymerization: A Review on Synthesis of Well-defined Nanocomposites

Abstract

Conducting various kinds of controlled radical polymerization (CRP) methods in the presence of specific nanofillers to prepare nanomaterials with excellent properties is reviewed. The addition of a small amount of such fillers results in excellent physical, mechanical, and thermal properties; therefore, the synthesis and structure of such products are investigated in detail. Nanofillers which are capable of carrying functional groups are classified by their dimensions. Also, their surface modification methods to attach polymer chains on their surfaces are debated. Additionally, various CRP methods with their particular features in different mediums are discussed. Also, the detailed examples of the preparation of such nanofiller loaded nanomaterials by various grafting techniques namely the “grafting from” and the “grafting through” techniques are drawn from the literature. Finally, the “grafting onto” method by a combination of CRP and mainly click chemistry to prepare polymer grafted nanosubstrates are discussed.

Keywords:

• In situ controlled radical polymerization
• nanocomposite
• surface modification
• grafting techniques
• click chemistry