Synthesis of Polymer Encapsulated Nano-clay Hybrid via Miniemulsion Polymerization

研究：聚合物-纳米无机杂化物是一种新型的纸张涂层材料，可以潜在地改善涂层的平滑度、光泽度、印刷质量和涂布纸的划痕性能。其基本思想是以一种有利的方式将无机纳米颗粒的性质与聚合物系统的性质结合起来，例如，将无机纳米颗粒的热稳定性、机械强度或光散射能力与聚合物的弹性和成膜能力相结合。大多数聚合物-纳米无机杂化物只有散装形式，而且很少有水基纳米杂化悬浮液可用。由于环境原因，水性悬浮液是理想的，也是大多数纸张涂层和一些绘画应用所需要的。本研究的重点是发展对水基和聚合物封装纳米杂化悬浮液的合成的基本理解，以及将该方法用于纸张涂层的技术发展。将测试乳液和微乳液聚合技术在聚合物包封纳米杂化合成中的应用。在这些悬浮颗粒中，纳米粘土被聚合物基质剥离。对纳米粒子封装、剥离和最终纳米杂化物的物理性质的基本理解也可以用于指导其他封装反应，如油墨、碳粉等。影响：PI有一个教育计划，建立一个能够向亚特兰大地区的当地社区和大学提供推广活动的项目。此外，开发这种环保技术可能对纸浆和造纸工业有很大的好处。

Research:Polymer-nanoinorganic hybrids are new paper-coating materials that could potentially improve the coating smoothness, gloss, printing quality, and scratch properties of coated papers. The basic idea is to combine the properties of an inorganic nanoparticle with those of the polymer system in an advantageous way, e.g., merging the thermal stability, the mechanical strength, or light scattering power of the inorganic nanoparticle with the elasticity and the ability of the polymer to form films.Most polymer-nanoinorganic hybrids are available only in bulk form and there are few water-based nanohybrid suspensions available. Water-based suspensions are desirable for environmental reasons as well as being required for most paper-coating and some painting applications. The focus of this research is to develop both fundamental understanding of the synthesis of water-based and polymer encapsulated nanohybrid suspensions, and the technological development of using the methodology for paper coating. Both emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization techniques will be tested for polymer encapsulated nanohybrid synthesis. Within these suspension particles, the nanoclay is exfoliated by the polymer matrix. The fundamental understanding of the nanoparticle encapsulation, exfoliation, and the physical properties of the final nanohybrids can also be used to guide other encapsulation reactions such as ink, toner, etc.Impact:The PI has an educational plan to establish a program that is capable of providing outreach activities to local communities and colleges in the Atlanta area. In addition, developing this environmentally benign technology could be of great benefit to the pulp and paper industry.