Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization grafting from nanoporous cellulose gels to create hydrophobic nanocomposites.

Here, we present the preparation of hydrophobic nanoporous cellulose gel--poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (NCG--PGMA) nanocomposites by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) monomers and hydrophobic modification with pentadecafluorooctanoyl chloride (CFCOCl) on the cellulose nanofibrils of the NCG. The successful grafting of PGMA and hydrophobic modification of CFCO- groups on the NCG was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the SI-ATRP and hydrophobic modification did not change the microscopic morphology and structure of the NCG--PGMA nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed remarkable thermomechanical properties and moderate thermal stability. The method has tremendous promise to use NCG as a platform for SI-ATRP and produce new functional NCG-based nanomaterials.