Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using cuprous chloride/2

2'-bipyridine (bipy) was applied to graftpolymerization of styrene on the surface of silica nanoparticles to synthesize polymer-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles. 2-(4-Chloromethylphenyl) ethyltriethoxysilane (CTES) was immobilized on the surface of silica nanoparticles throughcondensation reaction of the silanol groups on silica with triethoxysilane group of CTES. Then ATRP of St was initiated by this surface-modified silica manoparticles bearing benzyl chloride groups

and formed PSt graft chains on the surface of silica nanoparticles.The thickness of the graft chains increased with reaction time.End group analysis confirmed the occurrence of ATRP.Thermal analysis indicated that thermal stabilization of these resulting hybrid nanoparticles also increases with polymerization conversion.The results above show that this "grafting from" reaction could be used for the preparation of polymer-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles with controlled structure of the polymer's end groups.