Poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate-co-maleic anhydride)/silica nanocomposites derived from in situ suspension polymerization

Poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate-co-maleic anhydride) (PVVM)/silica nanocomposites were prepared by the suspension radical copolymerization of the monomers in the presence of fumed silica premodified with gamma-methylacryloxypropl trimethoxy siliane. Morphological observation showed that the silica particles of nanometer scale were well dispersed in the copolymer matrix of the nanocomposites films, whereas silica particles tended to agglomerate in the composites films prepared by the solution blending of PVVM with silica. The experimental results show that the thermal stability, glass-transition temperature, tensile strength, and Young's modulus were significantly enhanced by the incorporation of silica nanoparticles. The enhancement of properties was related to the better dispersion of silica particles in polymer matrix and the interaction between the polymer chains and the surfaces of the silica particles. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 123: 3764-3771, 2012