Organic–inorganic hybrid functional materials by nitroxide-mediated polymerization

Hybrid materials formed by the combination of inorganic components with organic polymers have emerged as a rapidly expanding and internationally competitive field of research in polymer science. These materials show great promise in many important applications where the control of the surface properties, as well as the structure and interfacial interactions between the two primary components, are determinant. In this paper, we present a review of literature on the synthesis of functional organic-inorganic hybrid materials through nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), focusing on both their academic development and their potential industrial applications. After a brief overview of the main polymer grafting techniques and the benefits of using NMP, the surface modification of silica-based materials (oxidized silicon wafers or spherical silica particles), phyllosilicates, metallic substrates and metal oxide nanoparticles are discussed. NMP not only allows fine control over polymer chain length, composition and topology, but has also proven to be an efficient tool for surface and interface engineering. The corresponding nanostructured materials exhibit a unique set of properties such as improved dispersibility, adjustable surface wettability, stimuli-responsiveness, and enhanced mechanical or barrier properties, making them suitable for a wide variety of different applications ranging from reinforced polymer-based materials, microfluidics, membranes and supported catalysis to optical or biological sensors.