Synthesis of Polymer Encapsulated Nano-clay Hybrid via Miniemulsion Polymerization

研究：聚合物-纳米无机杂化是一种新型纸张涂布材料，可以潜在地改善涂布纸张的涂布光滑度、光泽度、印刷质量和划痕性能。其基本思想是以一种有利的方式将无机纳米粒子的性质与聚合物体系的性质结合起来，例如，将无机纳米粒子的热稳定性、机械强度或光散射能力与聚合物的弹性和成膜能力结合在一起。大多数聚合物-纳米无机杂化材料只能以块状形式获得，而可用的水基纳米杂化悬浮液很少。出于环境原因，水基悬浮液是可取的，也是大多数纸张涂布和某些涂装应用所必需的。这项研究的重点是发展对水基和聚合物包裹的纳米杂化悬浮液的合成的基本了解，以及将该方法用于纸张涂布的技术开发。乳液和细乳液聚合技术将用于聚合物包裹的纳米杂化合成。在这些悬浮颗粒中，纳米粘土被聚合物基质剥离。对纳米颗粒包裹、剥离和最终纳米杂化材料的物理性质的基本了解也可用于指导其他封装反应，如墨水、碳粉等。影响：PI有一项教育计划，旨在建立一个计划，能够为亚特兰大地区的当地社区和大学提供外联活动。此外，开发这项对环境无害的技术可能会对制浆造纸工业产生巨大的好处。

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.