Synthesis and Study of SiO2-PMMA-Carbon Nanotubes Composites

Hybrid materials, composed of organic and inorganic compounds, have been considered an important area of research for many years because its properties combination, resulting in new materials with enhanced electrical, mechanical, thermal and optical properties. Although silica-PMMA is a hybrid material even without the addition of carbon nanotubes; it is becoming increasing clear that incorporating of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in hybrids may release new applications, as MWNT can act as fillers at the nano level, resulting in much better properties.

The aim of this work is the synthesis of a hybrid composite from silica-poly(methyl methacrylate) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SiO₂-PMMA-MWNTs), with 0 to 0.5 wt% MWNTs. SiO₂-PMMA-MWNTs  films were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and UV-visible. FT-IR and Raman studies showed an interaction between silica, PMMA and MWNTs. A high dispersion of MWNTs into the SiO₂-PMMA matrix as well as an increase in the thermal stability of the SiO₂-PMMA-MWNTs hybrid material was observed.