Ceramic-polymer composites obtained by cold sintering process using a reactive monomer approach

1. A process for making a cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite, comprising

a. combining at least one inorganic compound in the form of particles having a number average particle size of less than about 30 μm with at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof and a solvent in which the inorganic compound is at least partially soluble to obtain a mixture;

b. subjecting the mixture to polymerization conditions to obtain a pre-ceramic polymer mixture comprising a polymer of the at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof, the particulate inorganic compound, and the solvent; and

c. exposing the pre-ceramic polymer mixture to a pressure of no more than about 5000 MPa and a temperature of less than about 200° C. above the boiling point of the solvent to obtain the cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite.

2. A process for making a cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite, comprising

a. combining at least one inorganic compound in the form of particles having a number average particle size of less than about 30 μm with a solvent in which the inorganic compound is at least partially soluble to obtain a mixture;

b. subjecting the mixture to a pressure of no more than about 5000 MPa and a temperature of less than 200° C. above the boiling point of the solvent to obtain a cold-sintered ceramic;

c. infusing the cold-sintered ceramic with at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof to obtain a cold-sintered ceramic pre-polymer mixture comprising the cold-sintered ceramic and the at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof to be polymerized into a polymer; and

d. subjecting the cold-sintered ceramic pre-polymer mixture to polymerization conditions to obtain the cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite.

3. A process for making a cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite comprising

a. combining at least one inorganic compound in the form of particles having a number average particle size of less than about 30 μm with at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof and a solvent in which the inorganic compound is at least partially soluble to obtain a mixture; and

b. subjecting the mixture to a pressure of no more than about 5000 MPa and a temperature of less than 200° C. above the boiling point of the solvent, whereby the at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination undergo polymerization into a polymer, to obtain the cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the weight percentage of the inorganic compound in the mixture is about 50 to about 99.5% (w/w) based upon the total weight of the mixture.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the weight percentage of the at least one monomer, reactive oligomer, or combination thereof in the mixture is about 0.5 to about 25% (w/w) based upon the total weight of the mixture, respectively.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises water, an alcohol, an ester, a ketone, dipolar aprotic solvent, or combinations thereof.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent further comprises an inorganic acid, an organic acid, an inorganic base, a water-soluble metal salt, or organic base.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises subjecting the cold-sintered ceramic polymer composite to a post-curing or finishing step.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is a condensation polymerization, a ring-opening polymerization, a radical polymerization, or a thermal polymerization.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyimide, a polyamide, a polyester, a polyurethane, a polysulfone, a polyketone, a polyformal, a polycarbonate and a polyether.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein, the monomer or reactive oligomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of an epoxide, a cyclic phosphazene, a cyclic phosphite, a cyclic phosphonate, a cyclic organosiloxane, a lactam, a lactone, a cyclic carbonate oligomer, and a cyclic ester oligomer.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the monomer or reactive oligomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of styrene, a styrene derivative, 4-vinylpyridine, an N-vinylpryrolidone, an acrylonitrile, a vinylacetate, an alkylolefin, a vinylether, a vinylacetate, a cyclic olefin, a maleimide, a cycloaliphatic, an alkene, and an alkyne.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a branched polymer, a polymer blend, a copolymer, a random copolymer, a block copolymer, a cross-linked polymer, a blend of a cross-linked polymer with a non-crosslinked polymer, a supramolecular structure, a polymeric ionomer, a dynamic cross-linked polymer, and a sol-gel.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture further comprises one or more of a polymerization catalyst promoter, a polymerization catalyst inhibitor, a polymerization co-catalyst, a photo initiator in combination with a light source, a phase transfer catalyst, and a chain transfer agent.

15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the polymerization catalyst, polymerization catalyst promoter, polymerization catalyst inhibitor, photo initiator, or polymerization co-catalyst is dissolved or suspended in the solvent.

16. The process according to any one of claim 14 or 15 , wherein the polymerization catalyst is coated on at least a portion of the inorganic compound particles.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic compound or the cold-sintered ceramic is a polymerization catalyst.

18. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the polymerization catalyst is an encapsulated catalyst.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process further includes one or more steps selected from injection molding, autoclaving, and calendering.