Methacrylate copolymers and their composites with nano-CdS: synthesis, characterization, thermal behavior, and antimicrobial properties

International Journal of Industrial Chemistry (2018) 9:153–166 https://doi.org/10.1007/s40090-018-0146-3 RESEARCH Methacrylate copolymers and their composites with nano‑CdS: synthesis, characterization, thermal behavior, and antimicrobial properties Mehdihasan I. Shekh1 · Dijit M. Patel1 · Nirmal N. Patel1 · Umesh S. Patel2 · Kaushal P. Patel1 · Rajnikant M. Patel1 Received: 9 November 2017 / Accepted: 23 April 2018 / Published online: 8 May 2018 © The Author(s) 2018 Abstract Homo- and copolymers of 2-(N-phthalimido)ethyl methacrylate (NPEMA) and p-chlorophenyl methacrylate (PCPMA) were prepared in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) solution at 70 °C using 2,2-azo-bisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. The nano-CdS-doped polymer composite of NPEMA and PCPMA was prepared via in situ technique. The homo- and copolymers of NPEMA and PCPMA were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The polymer nano composites were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The reactivity ratios (r1 and r2) were obtained from the various linear graphical methods. The values of r1 (NPEMA) = 0.55 and r2 (PCPMA) = 1.30 were found from the same graphical methods. The copolymer microstructures were found from the mean sequence length, run number, and dyad fraction. Thermal behavior of polymers and polymer nano composites under nitrogen atmosphere was studied. The activation energies of neat polymers were varied in the range of 56–85 kJ/mol, while 28–56 kJ/mol energies were found for nano-CdS-doped polymer composites. The thermodynamic parameters of thermal degradation were also obtained. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were confirming the stability of the neat polymers than polymer nano composites. The polymers were assessed on different microorganisms for obtaining the antimicrobial properties. Overall, the polymers permit 10–52, 20–58, and 18–56% growth of bacteria, fungi, and yeast, respectively. Keywords Copolymerization · Polymer nano composites · Reactivity ratio · Thermal properties · Antimicrobial properties Introduction Copolymerization technique is an adaptable technique to prepare copolymers from two or more different types of monomers. These copolymers have different properties than their individual homopolymers. The acrylates or methacrylates are normally polymerized through various techniques. These techniques are free radical solution polymerization [1], bulk polymerization [2], emulsion polymerization * Mehdihasan I. Shekh Rajnikant M. Patel 1 Department of Advanced Organic Chemistry, P. D. Patel Institute of Applied Sciences, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa 388421, Gujarat, India 2 Department of Chemistry, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidhyanagar 388120, Gujarat, India [3], atom transfer free radical polymerization (ATRP) [4], reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer free radical polymerization (RAFT) [5], redox polymerization [6], photo polymerization [7] living polymerization [8], etc. It is required to choose the polymerization process to obtain copolymers having desirable chemical, optical, mechanical, and electrical properties. Free radical solution polymerization is a simple, versatile, and effective technique to prepare the acrylate or methacrylate homo- and copolymers. The functionalized copolymers of acrylates were applied in various fields such as biomedical [9], textile [10], coating [11], adhesions [12], food packaging [13], and many more [14, 15]. Knowing the copolymer microstructure is useful to predict the properties of the copolymers. The microstructure of copolymers is easily predicted from the values of reactivity ratios of two monomers and the ratios of these values are possible to find from the various linear and non-linear methods [16–18]. Polymers are the most preferable host materials to prepare the inorganic nano particles (Nps)-doped composites. 13 Vol.:(0123456789) 154 International Journal of Industrial Chemistry (2018) 9:153–166 These classes of materials have very good applicable properties (i.e., electrical, mechanical, and optical). Materials having both inorganic and organic characteristics were well researched [19–23]. Recently, many techniques [24–28] were developed to prepare the new potential materials that were used in various fields [29–33] such as biological labeling, light-emitting diodes, transistors, solar cells, organic-based electronics, sensors, optical switching, etc. The numbers of research reports were published on the polymer composites with nano-metal oxides [34, 35], metal sulfides [36, 37], and many more [38–41]. Among them, semiconducting polymer nano composites of metal sulfides are very useful for their optoelectronic properties. A semiconducting polymer composite of CdS Nps is this class of material. It has broad range of applications in the various fields. The various polymers are used as host materials to prepare the CdS/polymer nano composites. The different CdS-Nps-doped polymer composites are prepared via different techniques. CdS/polystyrene nano-composite was prepared by a chemical route using an ex situ technique [42]. Oxidization polymerization technique was used to prepare CdS/polyaniline nano-composite [43]. CO+2-doped CdS/ polyvinyl pyrolidone composite was synthesized by chemical precipitation method [44]. Spin-coating technique was used to prepare thin films of CdS/poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) nanocomposite [45]. Several other CdS/polymer nano composites such as CdS/polyamidoamine dendrimer [46], CdS/ poly[4-(n-acryloyloxyalkoxy)benzoic acid] [47], and many more [48, 49] were also investigated. Although the properties and synthesis of CdS/polymer nano composites are well investigated, yet the effect of CdS Nps on the degradation of polymer in inert atmosphere (i.e., N 2 gas) is not investigated. The synthesis of macromolecules having antimicrobial properties is useful in various areas like hospitals, dental equipment, water purification systems, food storage, and food packaging units. Polymeric materials having antimicrobial properties are prepared mainly by: (1) polymerization of antimicrobial monomers which have characteristic functional groups responsible for antimicrobial properties and (2) chemical modification of synthetic polymers by antimicrobial agents or biocides. In this article, we have synthesized chlorine containing copolymers and assessed various microorganisms to confirm the copolymer’s antimicrobial potency. The present paper covers the synthesis, characterization, thermal behavior, and antimicrobial screening of homo- and copolymers of NPEMA with PCPMA. Polymer composites with nano-Cds were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic tools. The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of CdS Nps on thermal degradation of polymer matrix in nano composites. 13 Experimental Materials Ethanol amin (...truncated)