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Muñoz R, León-Boigues L, López-Elvira E, Munuera C, Vázquez L, Mompeán F, Martín-Gago JÁ, Palacio I, García-Hernández M. Acrylates Polymerization on Covalent Plasma-Assisted Functionalized Graphene: A Route to Synthesize Hybrid Functional Materials. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:46171-46180. [PMID: 37738025 PMCID: PMC10561134 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c07200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The modification of the surface properties of graphene with polymers provides a method for expanding its scope into new applications as a hybrid material. Unfortunately, the chemical inertness of graphene hinders the covalent functionalization required to build them up. Developing new strategies to enhance the graphene chemical activity for efficient and stable functionalization, while preserving its electronic properties, is a major challenge. We here devise a covalent functionalization method that is clean, reproducible, scalable, and technologically relevant for the synthesis of a large-scale, substrate-supported graphene-polymer hybrid material. In a first step, hydrogen-assisted plasma activation of p-aminophenol (p-AP) linker molecules produces their stable and covalent attachment to large-area graphene. Second, an in situ radical polymerization reaction of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) is carried out on the functionalized surface, leading to a graphene-polymer hybrid functional material. The functionalization with a hydrophilic and soft polymer modifies the hydrophobicity of graphene and might enhance its biocompatibility. We have characterized these hybrid materials by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy and studied their electrical response, confirming that the graphene/p-AP/PHEA architecture is anchored covalently by the sp3 hybridization and controlled polymerization reaction on graphene, retaining its suitable electronic properties. Among all the possibilities, we assess the proof of concept of this graphene-based hybrid platform as a humidity sensor. An enhanced sensitivity is obtained in comparison with pristine graphene and related materials. This functional nanoarchitecture and the two-step strategy open up future potential applications in sensors, biomaterials, or biotechnology fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Muñoz
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Laia León-Boigues
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
- Universidad
Complutense de Madrid, Madrid E-28040, Spain
| | - Elena López-Elvira
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Carmen Munuera
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Luis Vázquez
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Federico Mompeán
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - José Ángel Martín-Gago
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Irene Palacio
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Mar García-Hernández
- Instituto
de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid E-28049, Spain
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Mijangos C, Martin J. Polymerization within Nanoporous Anodized Alumina Oxide Templates (AAO): A Critical Survey. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15030525. [PMID: 36771824 PMCID: PMC9919978 DOI: 10.3390/polym15030525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, the polymerization of monomers within the nanocavities of porous materials has been thoroughly studied and developed, allowing for the synthesis of polymers with tailored morphologies, chemical architectures and functionalities. This is thus a subject of paramount scientific and technological relevance, which, however, has not previously been analyzed from a general perspective. The present overview reports the state of the art on polymerization reactions in spatial confinement within porous materials, focusing on the use of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. It includes the description of the AAO templates used as nanoreactors. The polymerization reactions are categorized based on the polymerization mechanism. Amongst others, this includes electrochemical polymerization, free radical polymerization, step polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). For each polymerization mechanism, a further subdivision is made based on the nature of the monomer used. Other aspects of "in situ" polymerization reactions in restricted AAO geometries include: conversion monitoring, kinetic studies, modeling and polymer characterization. In addition to the description of the polymerization process itself, the use of polymer materials derived from polymerization in AAO templates in nanotechnology applications, is also highlighted. Finally, the review is concluded with a general discussion outlining the challenges that remain in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Mijangos
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros, ICTP-CSIC, Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center, DIPC, Paseo de Manuel Lardizabal 4, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Jaime Martin
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avenida Tolosa 72, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Grupo de Polímeros, Centro de Investigacións Tecnolóxicas (CIT), Universidade da Coruña, 15471 Ferrol, Spain
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León-Boigues L, Navarro R, Mijangos C. Free radical nanocopolymerization in AAO porous materials: Kinetic, copolymer composition and monomer reactivity ratios. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.123989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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León-Boigues L, Pérez LA, Mijangos C. In Situ Synthesis of Poly(butyl methacrylate) in Anodic Aluminum Oxide Nanoreactors by Radical Polymerization: A Comparative Kinetics Analysis by Differential Scanning Calorimetry and 1H-NMR. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13040602. [PMID: 33671387 PMCID: PMC7923008 DOI: 10.3390/polym13040602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, we explore the ability to generate well-defined poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) nanostructures by “in situ” polymerization of butyl methacrylate monomer (BMA). PBMA nanostructures of high and low aspect ratios have been successfully obtained through the free radical polymerization (FRP) of a BMA monomer in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoreactors of suitable size. A polymerization kinetics process has been followed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR).The determination of the kinetics of polymerization through DSC is based on a quick and direct analysis of the exothermic polymerization process, whereas the analysis through 1H-NMR also allows the unambiguous chemical analysis of the resulting polymer. When compared to bulk polymerization, both techniques demonstrate confinement effects. Moreover, DSC and 1H-NMR analysis give the same kinetics results and show a gel-effect in all the cases. The number average molecular weight (Mn) of the PBMA obtained in AAO of 60–300 nm are between 30·103–175·103 g/mol. Even if the Mn value is lower with respect to that obtained in bulk polymerization, it is high enough to maintain the polymer properties. As determined by SEM morphological characterization, once extracted from the AAO nanoreactor, the polymer nanostructures show controlled homogeneous aspect/size all throughout the length of nanopillar over a surface area of few cm2. The Young’s modulus of low aspect ratio PBMA nanopillars determined by AFM gives a value of 3.1 ± 1.1 MPa. In this work, a 100% of PBMA polymer nanostructures are obtained from a BMA monomer in AAO templates through a quick double process: 30 min of monomer immersion at room temperature and 90 min of polymerization reaction at 60 °C. While the same nanostructures are obtained by polymer infiltration of PBMA at 200 °C in about 6 h, polymerization conditions are much softer than those corresponding to the polymer infiltration process. Furthermore, the 1H-NMR technique has been consolidated as a tool for studying the kinetics of the copolymerization reactions in confinement and the determination of monomer reactivity ratios.
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