Silica/poly(1,5-dioxepan-2-one) hybrid nanoparticles by "direct" surface-initiated polymerization

Abstract

Biodegradable poly(1,5-dioxepan-2-one) (PDXO) was grown directly from Si-OH groups of a silica nanoparticle by surface-initiated, ring-opening polymerization (SI-ROP) of 1,5-dioxepan-2-one (DXO). The direct SI- ROP of DXO was achieved by heating a mixture of Sn(Oct)(2), DXO, and the silica nanoparticles (316 nm in diameter) in anhydrous toluene. The resulting silica/PDXO hybrid nano-particles were characterized by means of H-l NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy.