Morphology of polyacrylate/nanosilica composites as studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy

• Polyacrylate (PHEA) doped with A200 and R7200 nanosilica studied by Raman spectroscopy.
• The PHEA/A200 and PHEA/R7200 composites were obtained by photopolymerization process.
• Influence of doping of A200 and R7200 on properties of PHEA polymer matrix.
• Micro-Raman mapping – the method to study dispersion of the nanosilica in composites.
• The silica nanoparticles tend to create aggregates and agglomerates in composites.

The Raman scattering study of the morphology of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) (PHEA)/nanosilica composites at various levels of the filler loading was performed. Two types of nanosilica were applied: unmodified (Aerosil 200) and surface and structure modified (Aerosil R7200). The composites were obtained by photocuring of monomer/silica mixtures.Using surface Raman mapping method we obtained information concerning the distribution of nanosilica particles in the composites being under study. The size and structure of nanosilica aggregates within the polymer matrix strongly depend on the amount of the nanosilica added. To check uniformity of the nanosilica dispersion in the composites the Raman depth studies were also performed for PHEA containing 20 wt.-% of nanosilica.

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