Synthesis of Polyolefin/Layered Silicate Nanocomposites via Surface Initiated Ring Opening

Here we report the synthesis and characterization of block-copolymer/layered silicate (BC-PLS) nanocomposites via the surface-initiated ring opening metathesis polymerization (SI-ROMP) of substituted norbornenes and cyclopentene from montmorillonite clay (MMT). The MMT particle surfaces were functionalized with a norbornene-terminated alkyl-ammonium surfactant through ion exchange. Block copolymer brushes of norbornene and cyclopentene were polymerized directly from the surface of these functionalized clay platelets yielding highly exfoliated nanocomposites. A fraction of the polymer brushes were removed from their substrate by reverse ion exchange and characterized in parallel with their corresponding nanocomposite analogs. The thermal, mechanical, and morphological characteristics of the BCPLSs and their neat analogs were then compared directly. This enabled us to assess the role of the MMT filler in the thermal properties, solid/melt state rheology, and morphology. ∗To whom correspondence should be addressed