Preparation and kinetic characterization of attapulgite grafted with poly(methyl methacrylate) via R-supported RAFT polymerization

Poly(methyl methacrylate) brushes grafted from attapulgite nanoparticles (ATP@PMMA) were prepared by R-Supported reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). ATP was firstly activated, and allowed to react with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid) (ACVA) and bis(thiobenzoyl) disulfide stepwise to afford 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate functionalized ATP (ATP-CPADB). Then, RAFT polymerizations of MMA mediated by the different systems were conducted and compared systemically. The grafting process was verified by FTIR, XRD, XPS, TGA and TEM data. Kinetic behavior indicated that the anchored CPADB is more effective before diffusing into the bulk phase. The grafting ratio (G r), while M n of grafted and free polymer increased linearly with increasing monomer conversion in presence of free CPADB, giving the hybrid particles with more homogeneous distribution of grafted polymer layer.