Preparation of a variety of fluoroalkyl end-capped N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl)acrylamide oligomer/silica nanocomposites possessing no weight loss characteristic at 800 deg C

• Published in: Polymers for advanced technologies Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. 739 - 747
• Main Authors: Sawada, Hideo, Tashima, Tsukasa, Kodama, Shun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2008
• ISSN: 1042-7147
• DOI: 10.1002/pat.1050

A variety of fluoroalkyl end-capped N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl)acrylamide oligomer [RF-(DOBAA)n- RF]/silica nanocomposites, in which the oligomer contents are 18-96%, were prepared by reactions of the corresponding fluorinated oligomer with tetraethoxysilane and silica nanoparticles under alkaline conditions. Each fluorinated oligomer/silica composite thus obtained is nanometer size-controlled very fine particles (22-68nm) possessing a good dispersibility and stability in a variety of solvents including water. Interestingly, the weight loss of RF-(DOBAA)n-RF/silica nanocomposites, in which the oligomer contents are 18-72%, were not observed at all even at 800 deg C, as well as the original silica nanoparticles, although the corresponding sub-micrometer size-controlled RF- (DOBAA)n-RF/silica composites (particle size: 359nm) decomposed completely at 800 deg C to afford the weight loss in proportion to the content of RF-(DOBAA)n-RF oligomer in composites. On the other hand, a slight weight loss of RF-(DOBAA)n-RF/silica nanocomposites, in which the oligomer contents are 75-94%, was observed at 800 deg C compared to that of the original silica nanoparticles.