Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of magnetite nanoparticles with statistical poly(tert -butyl acrylate)-poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) copolymers

Abstract

This work presented the surface modification of magnetite nanoparticle (MNP) with poly[(t-butyl acrylate)-stat-(poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)] copolymers (P[(t-BA)-stat-PEGMA]) via a surface-initiated "grafting from" atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Loading molar ratio of t-BA to PEGMA was systematically varied (100: 0, 75: 25, 50: 50, and 25: 75, resp.) such that the degree of hydrophilicity of the copolymers, affecting the particle dispersibility in water, can be fine-tuned. The reaction progress in each step of the synthesis was monitored via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The studies in the reaction kinetics indicated that PEGMA had higher reactivity than that of t-BA in the copolymerizations. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) indicated that the molecular weights of the copolymers increased with the increase of the monomer conversion. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the particles were spherical with averaged size of 8.1 nm in diameter. Dispersibility of the particles in water was apparently improved when the copolymers were coated as compared to P(t-BA) homopolymer coating. The percentages of MNP and the copolymer in the composites were determined via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and their magnetic properties were investigated via vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM).