Abstract
The presence of low-molecular-weight by-products is a major problem in poly[2-hydroxethyl methacrylate (HEMA)-silica] hybrids prepared using sol-gel synthesis. Low-molecular-weight by-products have a detrimental effect on the optical transparency, and mechanical and storage properties of poly(HEMA-silica) hybrids. To solve this problem, a new sol-gel synthesis procedure was developed to prepare organic–inorganic hybrids. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was used as a comonomer to form poly(HEMA-GMA-silica) (PHGS) hybrids. In addition to forming a copolymer, GMA has two more functions. It facilitates the removal of almost all of the low-molecular-weight by-product molecules formed during sol-gel synthesis and also prevents further condensation of free silanol groups during the polymerization, storage, and use. The mechanical properties of PHGS hybrids were evaluated by using compression testing. The mechanical properties of PHGS hybrids were higher compared to Plexiglas G poly(methyl methacrylate), and the hybrids can be synthesized with reproducible mechanical properties.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D.J. Lin, C.C. Chen, C.L. Chang, Y.C. Su L.P. Cheng: Observation of nano-particles in silica/poly(HEMA) hybrid by electron microscopy. J. Polym. Res. 9, 115 2002
P. Hajji, L. David, J.F. Gerard, J.P. Pascault G. Vigier: Synthesis, structure, and morphology of polymer-silica hybrid nanocomposites based on hydroxyethyl methacrylate. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 37, 3172 1999
M. Messori, M. Toselli, F. Pilati, E. Fabbri, P. Fabbri, S. Busoli, L. Pasquali S. Nannarone: Flame retarding poly(methyl methacrylate) with nanostructured organic-inorganic hybrids coatings. Polymer 44, 4463 2003
W. Zhou, J.H. Dong, K.Y. Qiu Y. Wei: Preparation and properties of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)/silica hybrid materials by the in situ sol-gel process. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 36, 1607 1998
C.J. Brinker G.W. Scherrer: In Sol–Gel Science, the Physics and Chemistry of Sol-Gel Processing Academic Press San Diego, CA 1990
B.M. Novak: Hybrid nanocomposite materials: Between inorganic glasses and organic polymers. Adv. Mater. 5, 422 1993
L.C. Klein: Sol-gel optical materials. Annu Rev Mater Sci. 23, 437 1993
B.M. Novak C. Davies: Inverse organic-inorganic composite materials: II. Free-radical routes into nonshrinking sol-gel composites. Macromolecules 24, 5481 1991
Y. Wei, D. Jin, C. Yang G. Wei: A fast convenient method to prepare hybrid sol-gel materials with low volume-shrinkages. J. Sol.-Gel Sci. Technol. 7, 191 1996
J.W. Xu, W.F. Shi, M. Gong, F. Yu L.F. Yan: Preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid materials and their thermo- and photodegradation behaviors. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 97, 1714 2005
Y.C. Chen, C.C. Tsai Y.D. Lee: Preparation and properties of silylated PTFE/SiO2 organic-inorganic hybrids via sol-gel process. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 42, 1789 2004
P. Innocenzi, T. Kidchob T. Yoko: Hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel materials based on epoxy-amine systems. J. Sol.-Gel Sci. Technol. 35, 225 2005
G. Kickelbick: Concepts for the incorporation of inorganic building blocks into organic polymers on a nanoscale. Prog. Polym. Sci. 28, 83 2003
M. Aparicio, Y. Castro A. Duran: Synthesis and characterisation of proton conducting styrene-co-methacrylate-silica sol-gel membranes containing tungstophosphoric acid. Solid State Ionics 176, 333 2005
U. Schubert, N. Husing A. Lorenz: Hybrid inorganic-organic materials by sol-gel processing of organofunctional metal alkoxides. Chem. Mater. 7, 2010 1995
F. Devreux, J.P. Boilot, F. Chaput A. Lecomte: Sol-gel condensation of rapidly hydrolyzed silicon alkoxides: A joint Si-29 NMR and small-angle x-ray-scattering study. Phys. Rev. A: At., Mol., Opt. Phys. 41, 6901 1990
P. Bosch, F. DelMonte, J.L. Mateo D. Levy: Photopolymerization of hydroxyethylmethacrylate in the formation of organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel matrices. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 34, 3289 1996
J.M. Yeh, C.J. Weng, K.Y. Huang C.C. Lin: Effect of baking treatment and materials composition on the properties of bulky PMMA-silica hybrid sol-gel materials with low volume shrinkage. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 101, 1151 2006
F. Mammeri, E. Le Bourhis, L. Rozes C. Sanchez: Elaboration and mechanical characterization of nanocomposites thin films: Part I. Determination of the mechanical properties of thin films prepared by in situ polymerisation of tetraethoxysilane in poly(methyl methacrylate). J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 26, 259 2006
K. Tanaka H. Kozuka: Sol-gel preparation and mechanical properties of machinable cellulose/silica and polyvinylpyrrolidone/silica composites. J. Sol.-Gel Sci. Technol. 32, 73 2004
ASTM D 695 ASTM International West Conshohocken, PA 1942 Available at http://www.astm.org.
Acknowledgments
Financial supports from the United States Army Research Laboratory (Contract No. W911QX-04-C-0041) and the National Institutes of Health (Grant No. DE09848) are gratefully appreciated. The authors would also like to thank the Materials Characterization Facility of the A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, S., Samuel, S.P., Mylonakis, A. et al. Synthesis of new organic–inorganic hybrids poly[2-hydroxethyl methacrylate (HEMA)-glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-silica] and their mechanical properties. Journal of Materials Research 23, 66–71 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0014
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0014