Facile preparation of PMMA–silica hybrids using polyethoxysiloxane

Solid polyethoxysiloxane (PEOS) was synthesized by controlled hydrolysis‒condensation of tetraethoxysilane as a soluble and meltable solid. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)–solid PEOS and PMMA–silica gel (WG) hybrids were subsequently prepared using two simple methods: (i) liquid–melt blending (LMB) and (ii) solid–melt blending (SMB). Compared with pristine PMMA, hybrids of PMMA–solid PEOS prepared by the LMB and SMB methods and PMMA–WG prepared by the LMB method increased the temperature at 5% weight loss. Notably, thermogravimetric analysis traces of PMMA–PEOS obtained using the SMB method differed from those of hybrids obtained using the LMB method. PMMA–PEOS obtained by the LMB and SMB methods were classified as dispersion-type and partial entanglement-type, respectively, on the basis of extraction experiments.