Preparation of polymer/silica composite nanoparticles bearing carboxyl groups on the surface via emulsifier‐free emulsion copolymerization

Polymer/silica organic/inorganic composite nanoparticles bearing carboxyl groups on the surface were prepared via the emulsifier‐free emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and sodium methacrylate (NaMA). Carboxyl groups were generated by the addition of hydrochloric acid at the end of the copolymerization. Two methods of NaMA addition were studied: batch and two‐stage procedures. The batch procedure allowed only a limited number of carboxyl groups to effectively bond to the composite nanoparticles. In contrast, the number of carboxyl groups could be altered over a wide range with the two‐stage procedure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemical titration were independently used to quantify the number of carboxyl groups, giving values close to each other and to the feed. A kinetic study indicated that the copolymerization followed a mechanism different than that found earlier. The average size of the composite nanoparticles was approximately 40 nm, as measured by both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser scattering, and their polydispersity index was close to 1, indicating a fairly narrow size distribution. TEM photographs of the composite nanoparticles showed a multilayered core–shell structure with one silica bead as the core and with poly(methacrylate acid) as the outmost shell.