In situ synthesis of silver-epoxy nanocomposites by photoinduced electron transfer and cationic polymerization processes

A study was conducted to synthesize silver nanoparticles and the polymer film constituting the nanocomposite film through electron-transfer reaction and the copolymerization of styrene and amphiphilic urethane acrylate noninomer. EEC resin was used as the cationically polymerizable monomer in synthesis, which formed cross-linked networks due to the two epoxy groups present in the structure. The silver salt was added in EEC resin with the radical photoinitiator, DMPA. The mixture was irradiated by UV light, where the extent of polymerization was observed by a real-time FT-IR technique. TEM analysis was performed to determine formation of metallic particles in nanometer range size. Results show that silver-epoxy nanocomposite can be obtained by simultaneous photoinduced electron transfer and cationic polymerization processes.