By using FeSO4/K2S2O8 as the initiator of radical reaction

octamethacryl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane coated multi-walled carbon nanotube (PMMA-POSS/MWNT) hybrids were synthesized under homogeneous and heterogeneous polymerization systems

respectively.Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the PMMA-POSS coated MWNT hybrids with uniform thickness were obtained under the homogeneous system.The thickness of PMMA-POSS layers coated on MWNT can be controlled from 15~25 to 35~50 nm through controlling the relative usage of MMA-POSS.The shape of coated PMMA-POSS changed to microspheres which suspended on the surface of MWNT in the heterogeneous systems.The PMMA-POSS/MWNT hybrids were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

Raman spectroscopy (Raman) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA).Through the Raman characterization

the interaction between the MMA-POSS and the MWNT was also proven.Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed the amount of the coated MMA-POSS on the surface of the MWNT

when the thickness of coated layers was more than 35 nm

the mass loss was near 45%.The promise of synthesizing gram-scale functionalized MWNT from a wide range of polymers in a small volume of solvent may greatly improve the ability to engineer novel MWNT composites.