FUNCTIANALISED POLYVINYLAROMATIC NANOPARTICLES

摘要

The invention relates to nanoparticles of functionalised, cross-linked polyvinylaromatic (PVAr), which can be used as a reinforcing filler in a polymer composition, said PVAr comprising a copolymer with at least: one vinylaromatic comonomer A; a comonomer B bearing function Z having formula = Si - X, wherein X is a hydroxyl or hydrosable group; and a crosslinking comonomer C which is at least bifunctional and which can be polymerised by means of an addition reaction, whereby conomer C can be vinylaromatic and, in this case, identical or different to conomoer A or non-vinylaromatic. The PVAr comprises, for example, a copolymer of styrene, ethylvinylbenzene, divinylbenzene and (meth)acrylate of trimethoxysilylpropyl, in the form of nanoshells with a diameter of between 10 and 100 nm. The PVAr filler has a very low density and, as such, can be used to reduce the weight of polymer compositions, particularly elastomers, without degradation to the reinforcement and with a notable reduction in hysteresis.