Preparation And Characterization Of PMMA/GO Nanocomposites

Because of the physical and chemical properties of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), ithas been applied extensively in different departments on national economy. At the same time,because of low working temperature and high hygroscopicity, these defects restrict itswidespread use. So, graphite oxide (GO) was synthesized by the two means of Brodie andHummer, used hexadecyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) to modify GO, then used insitu intercalation polymerization to prepare PMMA/GO and P(MMA-BA)/GOnanocomposites, studied the thermal properties, hygroscopicity properties and mechanicalproperties of PMMA, and get some achievements:The structures of expandable graphite (EG), GO, GO(CTAB),PMMA/GO andP(MMA-BA)/GO nanocomposites were researched by XRD, FT-IR. It proved that CTAB hadintercalated GO, formed organic ammonium cationic in the interlayer, increased the distancebetween the interlayer. PMMA and GO intercalated polymerization successfully.The effects of the thermal properties of nanocomposites with the different preparingmethods, the different contents of GO and PBA were investigated by DSC and TGA. Thatshowed the thermal properties had increased with different degree. When increasing thecontents of PBA, thermal properties had decreased.The hygroscopicity properties of PMMA/GO and P(MMA-BA)/GO nanocomposites wasreviewed in the distilled water, acidic solution, alkaline solution, salt solution. The resultindicated that PMMA had higher water absorption capacity than PMMA/GO andP(MMA-BA)/GO nanocomposites. Meanwhile that PMMA reached the time of maxabsorbent rate is longer. When increasing the contents of PBA, water absorption capacity haddecreased.The tensile strength and bending strength of PMMA/GO and P(MMA-BA)/GOnanocomposites were discussed. When increasing the contents of GO, the tensile strength andbending strength of PMMA/GO nanocomposites increased firstly and then decreased. Whenincreasing the contents of PBA, the tensile strength of P(MMA-BA)/GO nanocomposites decreased. The bending strength increased.The molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution of PMMA and PMMA fromthe nanocomposites were investigated. The result indicated that various molecular weight ofPMMA was lower than PMMA from PMMA/GO nanocomposite. Meanwhile molecularweight distribution was wider.