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Research chemists at Warwick University have devised a process for simply and cheaply covering small particles of polymer with a layer of silica-based nanoparticles. The final result provides a highly versatile material that can be used to create a range of high performance materials such as self-healing paints and packaging that can be tailored to let precise levels of water, air or both pass in a particular direction.
The research, led by Stefan Bon, has created a soap-free emulsion polymerisation process, in which colloid particles of polymer dispersed in water are coated with a layer of silica based nanoparticles (about 25 nanometres in size).
This creates a very versatile polymer latex product that can be used to create scratch-resistant paints in which the scratches heal themselves. The polymer can be fine tuned to produce packaging that will allow water or air to pass through the packaging in tailored ways. When rolled into sheets, the polymer presents much more surface area than usual, allowing more efficient interaction with other materials.
By exposing the material to a second step in which another polymer layer is deposited on top of the silica nanoparticles, the researchers were able to produce particles with an even greater range of properties and uses.
The Warwick team believes the process is of interest to industry both because of the versatility of the end product, and the ease and cost effectiveness of the process. The single step can be carried out on a mass scale with currently used industrial equipment.
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