Towards transparent PMMA/SiO2 nanocomposites with promising scratch-resistance by manipulation of SiO2 aggregation followed by in situ polymerization

Poly(methyl methacrylate) grafted silica (SiO 2 -g-PMMA) was synthesized via in situ suspension polymerization. To achieve better uniform dispersion, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was introduced into xylene to manipulate SiO 2 aggregation. SiO 2 -g-PMMA or SiO 2 was incorporated into PMMA matrix by in situ polymerization to prepare PMMA-based nanocomposites. The effect of CTAB amount, in the range 0–35 wt %, on the modification was evaluated by DLS, TGA, and FTIR. Furthermore, morphology, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of PMMA nanocomposites was characterized by SEM, UV–vis, DMA, and TGA. Owing to surface functionalization, SiO 2 -g-PMMA exhibited far more excellent compatibility and dispersion in matrix compared with SiO 2 . Surface hardness and thermal properties of nanocomposites were enhanced significantly under the premise in high transparency. It is expected that transparent nanocomposites with promising scratch-resistance could have wide applications, such as airplane shielding window and daily furniture. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44612.