Cross-linking of poly(methyl methacrylate) by oxozirconate and oxotitanate clusters

Radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with 0.5-2 mol% of the (meth)acrylate-substituted oxozirconium and oxotitanium clusters Zr-6(OH)(4)O-4(OMc)(12) (OMc = methacrylate), Zr4O2(OMc)12, Ti6O4(OEt)(8)(OMc)(8) and Ti4O2(OPri)(6)(OAcr)(6) (OAcr = acrylate) results in an efficient cross-linking of the organic polymers, The obtained inorganic-organic hybrid polymers exhibit a higher thermal stability due to inhibited depolymerization reactions. Contrary to undoped poly(methyl methacrylate), the cluster cross-link-ed polymers are insoluble but swell in organic solvents. The solvent uptake upon swelling decreases with an increasing amount of polymerized cluster. The impedance spectra of PMMA doped with various proportions of Zr4O2(OMc)12 show that the capacitance of the polymers decreases with an increasing proportion of the cluster. The polymer doped with 2 mol% of Zr4O2(OMc)12 shows an increase in conductivity to 0.9(.)10(-7) S(.)cm(-1) at 74 degreesC