Synthesis and Properties of Ethylene Imine-Based Porous Polymer Nanocomposites with Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

Ethylene imine-based porous polymer nanocomposites were prepared by ring-opening polymerization of 2,2-bishydroxymethylbutanol-tris [3-(1-aziridinyl)propionate] (3AZ), a tri-functional aziridine compound, in the presence of commercially available metal oxide nanoparticles, SiO2 or ZrO2, accompanied by polymerization-induced phase separation. The reactions with SiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles successfully yielded nanocomposite porous polymers as rigid materials. The nanocomposite porous polymers with SiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles showed characteristic surface morphologies composed of gathered particles with diameters less than 1 micrometer. These nanocomposites were effective in increasing Young’s moduli of the porous polymers due to an increase in their bulk densities. The presence of SiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles in the porous polymers efficiently retarded thermal decomposition.