Efficient solution polymerization of vinyl monomers using iron nanoparticle grafted carbon nano-granules

Iron nanoparticles are catalytic and reactive materials whose properties depend on their shape and morphology. Here, iron nanoparticles were in-situ grafted on carbon nanogranules (INP-CNGs). Maltene extracted from petroleum vacuum residue and ferrocene have been chosen as carbon and iron source to synthesize INP-CNGs via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, which were characterized in detail by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was synthesized using INP-CNGs and further characterized using various analytical techniques. These nanogranules were found to be stable and attractive for vinyl polymerization as it produced > 85% PMMA with a molecular weight (M w ) of 33,310 g/mol and 1.23 polydispersity index (PDI).