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The Secret of In-Situ Polymerization: Why Can This Technology Dramatically Improve the Performance of Polymers and Nanoparticles?
In polymer chemistry, in situ polymerization is defined as a preparation method performed in a "polymerization mixture" that is used to develop polymer nanocomposites from nanoparticles. The implementation of this method can significantly improve the overall properties of the material at the microscopic level, which has been demonstrated in numerous applications.
The in-situ polymerization process involves an initiation step, followed by multiple polymerization steps, ultimately resulting in a mixture of polymer molecules and nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles are initially dispersed in liquid monomers or low molecular weight precursors to initiate polymerization by forming a homogeneous mixture. As the polymerization mechanism is completed, a nanocomposite is produced, which is a combination of polymer molecules and nanoparticles. To enable successful in situ polymerization, several necessary conditions need to be met, including the use of low viscosity precursor polymers (usually less than 1 Pascal), short polymerization times, polymers with suitable mechanical properties, and no need for polymerization during polymerization. Produce by-products.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The in-situ polymerization process offers several advantages, including the use of cost-effective materials, ease of automation, and the ability to integrate with a variety of heating and curing methods. However, this method also has some disadvantages, such as limitations of the available materials, the short time it takes to perform the polymerization process, and the high cost of the required equipment.
Clay nanocomposites
At the end of the 20th century, Toyota Motor Corporation developed the first commercial application of clay-polyamide-6 nanocomposites, which were prepared through in-situ polymerization technology. This particular area was studied intensively after Toyota laid the foundation. Adding a small amount of nanofillers to the polymer matrix can significantly improve the strength, thermal stability and barrier penetration capabilities of clay nanocomposites.
A study by Zeng and Lee examined the role of initiators during in-situ polymerization, and a major finding was that using more polar monomers and initiators resulted in more favorable nanocomposite products.
Carbon nanotubes (CNT)
In-situ polymerization plays a pivotal role in the preparation of polymer-modified nanotubes using carbon nanotubes. Due to their outstanding mechanical, thermal and electronic properties, carbon nanotubes have been extensively studied to develop various practical applications since their discovery.
Application
Carbon nanotubes have been used to make electrodes, and one specific example is the CNT/PMMA composite electrode. To simplify the construction process of such electrodes, in situ polymerization has been investigated to increase production scale. Studies have shown that this method is cost-effective, requires low sample volumes, is highly sensitive, and has great potential for environmental and bioanalytical applications.
Biopharmaceutical
Biopharmaceuticals such as proteins, DNA, and RNA have the potential to treat a variety of diseases, but their applications are limited due to their poor stability, susceptibility to enzyme degradation, and insufficient ability to penetrate biological barriers. Polymer-biomacromolecule nanocomposites formed by in situ polymerization offer an innovative approach to overcome these obstacles.
Recent studies have shown that in situ polymerization can improve the stability, bioactivity and ability of biopharmaceuticals to penetrate biological barriers.
Protein nanogel
Protein nanogels can be used to store and deliver drugs and have a wide range of biomedical applications. This type of nanogel is prepared using an in-situ polymerization method by placing free proteins in an aqueous phase and adding cross-linking agents and monomers to form a polymer nanogel shell surrounding the protein core.
Urea formaldehyde and melamine formaldehyde
Urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde embedding systems are another example of utilizing in situ polymerization. This type of system involves a chemical embedding technology similar to that used in interfacial coatings, with all polymerization reactions occurring in the continuous phase without the need to add any reactants to the core material.
Through these diverse applications, we can see that the importance of in-situ polymerization technology lies in its ability to change material properties at the microscopic level, allowing it to show broad potential in many fields, such as biomedicine, materials science, etc. application potential. Facing the future, can this technology promote the development of more innovative materials?
