Polystyrene microspheres coated with detonation nanographite particles have been prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization using azobisisobutylonitrile (AIBN) as initiator in aqueous solutions. In the present techniques, the pristine detonation nano-graphite particles were employed as stabilizer of Pickering emulsion and then were armored on the as-prepared polystyrene cores by the thermal polymerization. The composite microspheres of polystyrene/detonation nano-graphite (PS/DNG) were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), and Fourier transformation infrared spectrum (FT-IR). FE-SEM indicates that the resulting samples retain spherical shape, with the uniform size ranging from 100 to 150 μm and good dispersity. FT-IR presents the possible formation mechanisms of PS/DNG composites. The functional groups on the surface of polystyrene and modified detonation nano-graphite particles have played an important role for the formation of PS/DNG composites. Moreover, the wettability of different nano-graphite was also tested.
Polystyrene/nano-SiO2 composite microspheres fabricated by Pickering emulsion polymerization: Preparation, mechanisms and thermal properties
