Formation mechanism of guava-like polymer/SiO2 nanocomposite particles in in situ emulsion polymerization systems

A formation mechanism of guava-like polymer/SiO 2 nanocomposite particles (NCPs) in in situ emulsion (co) polymerization systems based on the enhanced homogenous nucleation was proposed in the present paper. The reactive 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate modified SiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) were chemically linked to form a large amount of SiO 2 clusters at the beginning of polymerization. The formation of the SiO 2 clusters driven by highly efficient grafting reaction of monomers to SiO 2 NPs could be regarded as an enhanced homogenous nucleation process. The SiO 2 clusters functioned as the main polymerization loci to form guava-like polymer/SiO 2 NCPs in the following polymerization process. The morphological evolution of the polymer/SiO 2 NCPs, and the role of the grafting reaction and nucleation pattern in the formation of the guava-like polymer/SiO 2 NCPs were systematically investigated.