Abstract: The nano-sized basic magnesium chloride whisker, which was prepared via liquid reaction at the atmospheric pressure with brine and ammonia, were modified with 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (γ-MPS). And then the nanocomposite particles were synthesized via free radical polymerization, which was initiated by K2S2O8 (KPS), a water-soluble initiator, in ethanol / water mixture. The nanocomposite particles were characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The influences, such as disperse medium and reaction time, on the morphology of the whisker were studied. And then, the effect factors, such as reaction temperature and time, concentration of initiator and monomer, on the graft ratio and graft efficiency were discussed. The optimum conditions, as it is, of the graft polymerization of MMA onto nano-BMC were determined by orthogonal experiments.

Key words: suspension graft polymerization, disperse medium, BMC, nano- whisker, MMA