Synthesis of poly(vinyl acetate)-intercalated graphite oxide by an in situintercalative polymerization

Graphite oxide, a pseudo-two-dimensional solid in bulk form, was synthesize d from natural graphite powder by oxidization with KMnO4 in concentrated H2 SO4. The poly(vinyl acetate)-intercalated graphite oxide nano-composite was prepared by an in situ intercalative polymerization reaction, in which n-o ctanol-graphite oxide intercalation compounds were first obtained, vinyl ac etate monomer was then dispersed into the interlayer of modified graphite o xide, followed by thermal polymerization of the monomer. It was experimenta lly shown that the c-axis space of poly(vinyl acetate)-intercalated graphit e oxide was increased to 0.115 nm, which suggested there existed a monolaye r of poly(vinyl acetate) chain between the layers of graphite oxide. The na nocomposite was also characterized with thermal analysis and FT-IR spectrom etry.