Preparation of yttrium oxide-polystyrene nano-hybrid material by in-situ suspension polymerization

Nano-hybrid material (Y2O3-PS)-polystyrene containing nano-Y2O3 was prepared by in-situ suspension polymerization of styrene on Y2O3 nano-particles, using benzoyl peroxide as initiator and titanate as surface modifying agent for Y2O3. The effects of initiator concentration, Y2O3 content in feed and titanate coupling agent dosage on structure and properties of the hybrid material were studied. Y2O3 nano-particles were homo-dispersed throughout PS basal body. Keeping dosages of Y2O3 and St unchanged, along with increase of initiator dosage, Y2O3 content in the hybrid material first increased and then decreased. Keeping monomer dosage unchanged, amount of wrapped Y2O3 in the hybrid material decreased with increase of Y2O3 dosage at beginning of polymerization. In the case of changing initiator dosage only, effect of titanate dosage on actual wrapped amount of Y2O3 in the hybrid material was dominant.