Nanocomposite polymer material and method for producing a nanocomposite polymer material

Abstract

Nanocomposite polymer material (100) comprising: having a polymer matrix: - a polyaryletherketone (102) having hydroxylated keto groups; and - a vinyl polymer (104) comprising monomers having at least one hydroxyl group; and a nanofiller (110); wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid (106), wherein the vinyl polymer (104) is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid (106), and wherein the nanofiller (110) is stabilized by means of covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the polyaryletherketone (102) and / or with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the vinyl polymer (104) in such a way that leakage of the nanofiller (110) from the polymer matrix is ​​prevented.

Description

Various embodiments relate to a nanocomposite polymer material and a method for manufacturing a nanocomposite polymer material.In general, polymer membranes can be used for water and wastewater treatment because of their filtration properties, good mechanical strength, chemical stability, and low cost. Nanofillers, such as nanoparticles, can be used in polymeric materials (e.g., in polymeric membranes or generally in polymeric layers) to produce nanocomposite polymeric materials or generally nanocomposite polymeric elements. Such polymer materials may have functional properties due to the nanofillers, for example a high water permeability, contamination resistance and pollutant selectivity (for example due to their adsorption properties), an increased mechanical strength and temperature resistance, and / or self-cleaning properties. For example, the type, size, and concentration of the nanofillers may affect the morphology and permeability of the nanocomposite polymer materials.Conventionally, such nanocomposite polymer materials are produced by means of production methods based on non-covalent interactions between the nanofillers and the polymer matrix, such as melt intercalation, sol-gel synthesis, polymer intercalation and in situ polymerization intercalation. However, the insufficient embedding of the nanofillers by such conventional manufacturing methods may lead to a release of the nanofillers and thus, for example, to undesirable secondary pollution when the nanocomposite polymer materials are in use, for example, when the nanocomposite polymer materials are in contact with water. Furthermore, the nanocomposite polymer materials may lose their additional function due to the release of the nanofillers.WO 2022 / 061254 A1 discloses a photocrosslinkable medium comprising at least one methacrylate modified nanoparticle comprising a plurality of molecules bound to the surface of a nanoparticle.Various aspects of the invention relate to the realization of a stable, multifunctional nanocomposite polymer material, for example in the form of a polymer layer or a polymer membrane, and a method for its production. The stable embedding of the nanofillers can be made possible by covalent bonds between the polymer matrix and the nanofillers, which can lead to the nanofillers being prevented from emerging from the nanocomposite polymer material. With these nanofillers stably bonded to the polymer material, the life of the polymer material can be prolonged remarkably (since there is no need to change the polymer material any more), and environmental pollution which may occur due to leakage (or release) of the nanofillers from the polymer matrix or from the polymer material during use of the multifunctional nanocomposite polymer material can be avoided.The polymer material can be chosen such that it can fulfil functions, for example in environmental applications such as the degradation of pollutants (e.g. harmful pollutants, conflicting pollutants), wherein the addition of nanofillers can impart further advantageous (e.g. different) functions to the polymer material. Thus, the creation of multifunctional materials can be made possible.Various embodiments are based, for example, on the aspect of providing a nanocomposite polymer material which may comprise: a polymer matrix comprising a polyaryletherketone comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one arylketo group, and a vinyl polymer comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one hydroxyl group; and a nanofiller (also called nanofiller), wherein the polyaryletherketone may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid, wherein the vinyl polymer may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid, and wherein the nanofiller may be stabilized by means of covalent bonds (or compounds) with the polyacrylic acid of the polyaryletherketone and / or with the polyacrylic acid of the vinyl polymer such that leakage of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix may be prevented.According to various embodiments, the polyaryletherketone may be sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK), and the vinyl polymer may be polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The polymer matrix can form a photosensitive material.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may comprise or consist of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles. The polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles can be silver particles and / or upconverting nanoparticles (also called upconverting nanoparticles or "upconverter" nanoparticles). Up-converting nanoparticles convert, for example, radiation components of electromagnetic radiation into a higher-frequency spectrum.Various embodiments are based, for example, on the further aspect of providing a method for producing a nanocomposite polymer material, the method comprising: producing a mixture of a first solution comprising polyaryletherketone comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one arylketo group, a second solution comprising a vinyl polymer comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one hydroxyl group, a third solution comprising a nanofiller, and a fourth solution comprising polyacrylic acid; providing a layer by means of the produced mixture; and thermally treating the provided layer to obtain the nanocomposite polymer material.According to various embodiments, the thermal treatment may be carried out such that, in the obtained nanocomposite polymer material, the polyaryletherketone may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; the vinyl polymer may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; and the nanofiller may be stabilized by covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid of the polyaryletherketone and / or with the polyacrylic acid of the vinyl polymer such that leakage of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix may be prevented.According to various embodiments, preparing the mixture may include: mixing the first solution with the second solution to obtain a mixed solution; subsequently, adding the third solution to the mixed solution; and subsequently, adding the fourth solution.Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and are explained in more detail below.They show FIG. 1 illustrates a reaction equation of preparing a nanocomposite polymer material, according to various embodiments; FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for producing a nanocomposite polymer material according to various exemplary embodiments; FIG. 3 illustrates an infrared spectrum of a nanocomposite polymer material, according to various embodiments; FIG. 4A is a graph of comparative experiments between nanocomposite polymer materials with different nanofillers with respect to the respective stabilization in the polymer matrix; FIG. 4B is a graph of the proportion of PAA-coated nanofillers in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material in use over a period of 24 hours to 4 weeks, according to various embodiments; FIG. 5 shows a graph about the production of hydrogen peroxide from (nanocomposite) polymer materials without and with different nanofillers; FIG. 6 shows a graph over comparative experiments with regard to the adsorption proportion of an antibiotic between (nanocomposite) polymer materials with and without nanofiller.In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other, unless specifically stated otherwise. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.In the context of this description, the term "secondary fouling" is used to describe environmental fouling of the nanocomposite polymer material, which may arise, for example, due to degradation of the nanocomposite polymer material itself, for example, by release of components of the nanocomposite polymer material.In various aspects, a nanocomposite polymer material may be provided. The nanocomposite polymer material may include a polymer matrix and a nanofiller (also called nanofiller). The polymer matrix may comprise a polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and a vinyl polymer. The PAEK can consist of or be formed from monomers having at least one arylketo group. The vinyl polymer may consist of or be formed from monomers having at least one hydroxyl group. Here, the PAEK may be cross-linked (e.g., functionalized or derivatized) with polyacrylic acid (PAA), and the vinyl polymer may be cross-linked (e.g., functionalized or derivatized) with PAA. The nanofiller may be stabilized by covalent bonds with the PAA of the PAEK and / or with the PAA of the vinyl polymer such that leakage (or release) of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix may be reduced or prevented.According to the invention, a nanocomposite polymer material can be provided which can be multifunctional. In this regard, the nanocomposite polymer material may, for example, simultaneously perform a plurality of functions, for example, with respect to purifying a water (e.g., waste water). Due to the multifunctionality of the nanocomposite polymer material, for example, various pollutants, for example, which may be contained in the water / wastewater, may be converted or degraded. This can be achieved, for example, by the polymer matrix, which can fulfil a first function (for example degradation of a first type of pollutants), and by one or more nanofillers, which fulfil one or more functions, for example different from one another (for example degradation of a second type or further types of pollutants).Furthermore, the nanocomposite polymer material according to the present invention may have the advantage of having a chemically and / or structurally stable or more stable polymer matrix with respect to possible degradation of the nanocomposite polymer material, which may additionally reduce or prevent release of the nanofiller embedded in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material. Due to the covalent bonds (or connections) between the polymer matrix and the nanofiller, the nanofiller can be stabilized or embedded or immobilized or connected to the polymer matrix in such a way that a long-term stabilization of the nanofiller within the nanocomposite polymer material, and thus a reduced or prevented release of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material, can be achieved.The stable polymer matrix and / or the increased and long-term stabilization of the nanofiller in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material may entail numerous advantages.For example, the lifetime of the nanocomposite polymer material can be significantly increased with respect to its functions, since the wear of the nanocomposite polymer material can be significantly slowed.Furthermore, if the nanocomposite polymer material is used for water treatment, secondary contamination of the environment and the environment and / or of the water bypassing the nanocomposite polymer material can be reduced or prevented, for example.According to various embodiments, the nanocomposite polymer material may be provided in the form of a layer. This layer can be used, for example, without a carrier. Alternatively, for example, as needed, a support on which the layer of nanocomposite polymer material may be disposed may be used.FIG. 1 illustrates a reaction equation of preparing a nanocomposite polymer material, wherein, for example, the polyaryletherketone 102 is hydroxylated sulfonated polyether (etherketone) (OH-SPEEK), the vinyl polymer 104 is polyvinyl acid (PVA), and the nanofiller 110 is PAA-coated nanoparticles.According to various embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the PAA 106 may serve as a cross-linking agent, for example, between different PAEK polymer chains 102, between different vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains 104, and / or between PAEK polymer chains 102 and vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains 104.According to various embodiments, the cross-linking between the PAEK 102 and the PAA 106 may be formed by means of covalent bonds V 102-106 which may be formed by chemical reactions between at least some of the aryl keto groups of the PAEK (for example previously converted into hydroxyl groups) and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the PAA (red point). In this case, for example, from 10% to 70% of the arylketo groups of the PAEK, for example 25% to 60%, for example 40% to 50%, may have reacted with the carboxyl groups of the PAA. In various embodiments, these carboxyl groups of the PAA may be derived from, for example, the same PAA polymer chain. Alternatively or additionally, these carboxyl groups of the PAA can originate, for example, from different PAA polymer chains. For example, a PAEK polymer chain 102 may be crosslinked with multiple PAA polymer chains 106. Alternatively or additionally, a PAA polymer chain 106 may be crosslinked, for example, with multiple different PAEK polymer chains 102.According to various embodiments, the cross-linking between the vinyl polymer 104 and the PAA 106 may be formed by means of covalent bonds V 104-106 which may be formed by chemical reactions between at least some of the hydroxyl groups of the vinyl polymer and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the PAA (green dot with blue circle). In this case, for example, 10% to 70% of the hydroxyl groups of the vinyl polymer, for example 25% to 60%, for example 40% to 50%, may have reacted with the carboxyl groups of the PAA. In various embodiments, these carboxyl groups of the PAA may be derived from, for example, the same PAA polymer chain. Alternatively or additionally, these carboxyl groups of the PAA can originate, for example, from different polymer chains of the PAA. For example, a vinyl polymer chain 104 may be crosslinked with multiple different PAA polymer chains 106. Alternatively or additionally, a PAA polymer chain 106 may be crosslinked, for example, with multiple different vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains 104.According to various embodiments, the PAEK and the vinyl polymer in the polymer matrix may be physically connected to each other, for example by entanglement. Alternatively or additionally, the PAEK and the vinyl polymer may form a three-dimensional polymer network. Here, the PAEK and the vinyl polymer may be linked via chemical cross-linking points. In this embodiment, the PAEK and the vinyl polymer may form the three-dimensional polymer network, for example, without direct covalent bonds between the PAEK polymer chains and the vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains. This chemical cross-linking between the PAEK and the vinyl polymer can be effected, for example, via the PAA polymer chains. For example, a PAA polymer chain 106 may be linked at one crosslinking site V 102-106( crosslinking point) to a PAEK polymer chain 102, while it may be linked at another crosslinking site V 104-106 to a vinyl polymer polymer chain 104.According to various embodiments, the PAEK and the vinyl polymer may be selected such that the nanocomposite polymer material may have specific properties. These specific properties may relate, for example, to mechanical, chemical and / or functional properties of the nanocomposite polymer material.Examples of specific properties may include pressure, crack, radiation, heat, cold, solvent resistance, permeability (e.g., air, gas, fluid permeability), adsorbability (e.g., air, gas, fluid, water adsorbability), diffusion coefficient, retention (e.g., pollutants), pollution resistance, pollutant selectivity, self-cleaning ability, pollutant degradation, pollutant exchange efficiency.According to various embodiments, the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) may be, for example, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetheretherketoneketones (PEEKK), and polyetherketoneetherketoneketoneketones (PEKEKK). In various embodiments, the polyaryl ether ketone may have at least one aryl group, which may be substituted, for example. The substitution can be a sulfone group. For example, the PAEK may be sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK), polyetherketoneketone (SPEKK), polyetheretherketoneketones (SPEKK), and polyetherketoneetherketoneketones (SPEKEKK).According to various embodiments, the vinyl polymer may consist of or be formed from monomers, for example, which may be selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkyl methacrylate ester, hydroxyvinyl alcohol, for example polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).According to various embodiments, the PAEK may be a sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK) and the vinyl polymer may be polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This combination of polymers may, for example, allow the polymer matrix to form a photosensitive material. The photosensitive material may be sensitive, for example, to radiation, for example UV radiation, such that it can generate hydrogen peroxide under this radiation, as is described in PaviElle Lockhart, et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2016 120 (22), 3867-3877. This combination of polymers can, for example, also have further advantages. By cross-linking with PAA, SPEEK and PVA may form a polymer matrix which may be capable of immobilizing the nanofiller such that release (leakage or leakage) of the nanofiller may be reduced or prevented. This can be done, for example, by means of the covalent bonds between the PAA connected to SPEEK and PVA and the nanofiller (green point with red circle), and / or additionally by means of the specific morphology (for example pore size, adsorption capacity) of the polymer matrix, which can be achieved by the combination of SPEEK-PVA.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be homogeneously distributed or dispersed in the polymer matrix in the region in which the nanofiller is immobilized. In this case, nanofiller aggregates may be absent or present to a low extent in the polymer matrix. For example, the percentage of nanofiller aggregates relative to the total nanofiller may be from 0% to 10%, for example from 0.5% to 8%, for example from 1% to 5%.In various embodiments, the nanofiller may be formed such that nanofiller aggregates may be prevented. This can be done, for example, if the interfacial interactions between the polymers of the polymer matrix and the nanofiller can be enhanced. In various embodiments, for example, the combination PAEK / vinyl polymer and optionally with PAA may be chosen such that this effect of enhancing interfacial interactions between the polymers of the polymer matrix and the nanofiller may be achieved. Alternatively or additionally, in order to achieve this effect, the nanofiller may be modified at its surface. For example, the nanofiller may be coated. For example, the nanofiller may be coated with polyacrylic acid, for example, the nanofiller may comprise or consist of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles.The nanoparticles can have a size in a range from 5 nm to 50 nm, for example.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected such that it may be physically and / or chemically stable. The requirements for physical and / or chemical stability of the nanofiller can be dependent, for example, on the field of application of the nanocomposite polymer material. Alternatively or additionally, the nanofiller may be biocompatible.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected such that it may impart specific properties to the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material. For example, such specific properties may be complementary and / or synergistic properties to the properties of the polymer matrix. In various embodiments, the nanofiller may have, for example, one or more effects with respect to selective removal and / or separation of pollutants, antifouling, self-cleaning, pollutant degradation, pollutant exchange, which may not have, for example, the polymer matrix itself. Thus, a nanocomposite polymer material that can be multifunctional can be achieved.In various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected from the group consisting of silver particles, up-converting (also called up-converting) nanoparticles (UCNP), magnetite (Fe 3 O 4)- nanoparticles, cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4)- nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, silica (SiO 2)- nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.Examples of up-converting nanoparticles may be lanthanides, for example ytterbium, thulium, erbium, neodymium and gadolinium. In various embodiments, the up-converting nanoparticles may be capable of absorbing near infrared light and converting it into ultraviolet light.In another aspect, a method of making a nanocomposite polymer material may be provided. The method may include the following steps: preparing a mixture 210 from a first solution including polyaryletherketone (PAEK) including or consisting of or formed from monomers including at least one arylketo group, a second solution including a vinyl polymer including or consisting of or formed from monomers including at least one hydroxyl group, a third solution including a nanofiller, and a fourth solution including polyacrylic acid; providing a layer 220 using the prepared mixture; and thermally treating the provided layer 230 to obtain the nanocomposite polymer material.In various embodiments, the method can produce a nanocomposite polymer material, which can have, for example, a polymer matrix and a nanofiller. The polymer matrix may include the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and the vinyl polymer. The polyacrylic acid may serve as a cross-linking agent between the PAEK polymer chains, between the vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains, between the PAEK polymer chains and the nanofiller, between the vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains and the nanofiller, and / or between the PAEK polymer chains and the vinyl polymer polymer polymer chains.The heat treatment step 230 may, for example, allow the cross-linking of the nanofiller with the polymer matrix, for example with the PAA-PAEK, and / or with the PAA-vinyl polymer, which may act as protection of the nanofillers from the release and / or may increase the stability of the polymer matrix, for example the PAEK and / or the vinyl polymer itself. For example, the crosslinking of the PAEK with PAA, for example SPEEK with PAA, or of the vinyl polymer with PAA, for example PVA with PAA, resulting from the thermal treatment can reduce or prevent a release or an escape of SPEEK or of PVA from the nanocomposite polymer material.According to various embodiments, the thermal treatment 230 may be carried out such that, in the obtained nanocomposite polymer material, the polyaryletherketone may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; the vinyl polymer may be crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; and the nanofiller may be stabilized by covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid of the polyaryletherketone and / or with the polyacrylic acid of the vinyl polymer such that leakage (e.g. release) of the nanofiller from the nanocomposite polymer material, e.g. from the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material, may be reduced or prevented.According to various embodiments, the thermal treatment 230 may be performed at a temperature in a range from 150° C. to 190° C., for example at 170° C., for a period in a range from 15 min to 45 min, for example 30 min.According to various embodiments, preparing the mixture 210 may include: mixing the first solution 212 with the second solution to obtain a mixed solution; subsequently, adding the third solution 214 to the mixed solution; and subsequently, adding the fourth solution 216.This specific order of preparing the blend may result, for example, in nanocomposite polymer materials that may have improved properties.In various embodiments, examples of improved properties may be improved performance with respect to the functions of the nanocomposite polymer material. For example, in the case of SPEEK / PVA, it may be an increased production of hydrogen peroxide, in the case of UCNP an improved conversion of light, or in the case of silver nanoparticles an improved antibacterial effect. Further examples of improved properties may be water permeability, adsorption properties, mechanical strength and temperature resistance, contamination resistance, polymer matrix stability and / or embedding of the nanofiller in the polymer matrix, pollutant selectivity, and / or distribution of the nanofiller.According to various embodiments, providing the first solution may include a step of synthesizing the polyaryletherketone. The synthesized polyaryletherketone may be in the form of a homopolymer, for example.According to various embodiments, providing the first solution may further include a step of increasing hydrophilicity of the polyaryletherketone. For example, at least some of the keto groups (R 2 C=O) of the polyaryl ether ketone can be converted into hydroxyl groups (R 2 CH-OH). This may allow, for example, the hydroxy-converted keto groups of the polyaryletherketone to bind to or crosslink with carbonyl groups of the polyacrylic acid.This may allow, for example, for the polyaryletherketone to have increased stability, for example improved temperature, pressure resistance, due to better or increased crosslinking with PAA.According to various embodiments, the synthesized polyaryletherketone may be dissolved in water to provide the first solution and subsequently stirred at a temperature in a range from 40° C. to 60° C., for example 50° C., for a certain period of time, for example from 30 min to 2 hours, for example 1 hour. This step may allow, for example, the synthesized polyaryletherketone to be dissolved in water. The first solution may have a concentration of polyaryl ether ketone in a range from 20 mg / ml to 30 mg / ml, for example.According to various embodiments, the polyaryl ether ketone may be, for example, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), polyether ether ketone ketones (PEEKK) and polyether ketone ether ketone ketones (PEKEKK). In various embodiments, the polyaryletherketone may have at least one aryl group, which may be substituted. The substitution can be a sulfone group. For example, the PAEK may be sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK).According to various embodiments, providing the second solution 204 may include a step of synthesizing the vinyl polymer. The synthesized vinyl polymer may be in the form of a homopolymer, for example.According to various embodiments, the vinyl polymer for providing the second solution 204 may be dissolved in water and subsequently stirred at a temperature in a range from 90° C. to 110° C., for example 100° C., for a certain period of time, for example from 30 min to 2 hours, for example 1 hour. This step may allow, for example, the vinyl polymer to be dissolved in water.According to various embodiments, the polyaryletherketone may consist of or be formed from monomers, for example, which may be selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkyl methacrylate ester, hydroxyvinyl alcohol, for example polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).According to various embodiments, the first solution and the second solution may be mixed such that the ratio polyaryletherketone to vinyl polymer may be in a range from 20:80 wt % to 40:60 wt %, for example 30:70 wt %. The mixture of the first solution together with the second solution can be stirred, for example, at a temperature in a range from 50° C. to 70° C., for example at 60° C., for a specific period of time, for example from 30 min to 2 hours, for example 1 hour.In various embodiments, the nanofiller may be prepared before being added to the mixture of the first solution and the second solution. In these embodiments, the nanofiller cannot be manufactured in situ, for example, not in the polymer matrix or in the nanocomposite polymer material itself.According to various embodiments, the third solution may be prepared such that the nanofiller may be dispersed in an aqueous solution in a concentration in a range from 10 mg / ml to 50 mg / ml, for example from 20 mg / ml to 40 mg / ml, for example in a concentration of 30 mg / ml.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be treated before adding the third solution 214 to the mixed solution of the first solution and the second solution. For example, the nanofiller may be subjected to a step of modifying the surface of the nanofiller. This step may be carried out, for example, when the nanofiller is hydrophobic such that after the nanofiller is added to the mixture of the first solution and the second solution, the nanofiller may precipitate. For example, the surface of the nanofiller may be modified such that the aqueous dispersibility and / or hydrophilicity of the nanofiller may be increased. In various embodiments, the surface of the nanofiller may be altered or treated such that the nanofiller may be coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) as described in Himmelschaft et al., Particle and Particle Systems Characterization, 2019, 36(10). For example, the nanofiller may comprise or consist of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles.This can lead, for example, to the nanofiller being able to be distributed or dispersed or immobilized or embedded more homogeneously in the polymer matrix. As a result, nanofiller aggregates, for example, can be absent or present to a low extent in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material. For example, the percentage of nanofiller aggregates relative to the total nanofiller may be from 0% to 10%, for example from 0.5% to 8%, for example from 1% to 5%.According to various embodiments, the third solution may be added to the mixture of the first solution and the second solution such that a ratio of polyaryletherketone:vinyl polymer:nanofiller may be in a range of 200:799:1 wt % to 398:599:3 wt %. Subsequently, the obtained mixture of the first solution, the second solution and the third solution may be stirred at a temperature in a range of 50° C. to 70° C., for example, at 60° C., for a certain period of time, for example, from 30 min to 2 hours, for example, 1 hour. Here, the temperature may be the same at which the first solution and the second solution were stirred.The nanoparticles can have a size in a range from 5 nm to 50 nm, for example.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected such that it may be physically and / or chemically stable. The requirements for physical and / or chemical stability of the nanofiller can become dependent, for example, on the field of application of the nanocomposite polymer material. Alternatively or additionally, the nanofiller may be biocompatible.According to various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected such that it may impart specific properties to the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material. For example, such specific properties may be complementary and / or synergistic properties to the properties of the polymer matrix. In various embodiments, the nanofiller may have, for example, one or more effects with respect to selective removal and / or separation of pollutants, antifouling, self-cleaning, pollutant degradation, pollutant exchange, which may not have, for example, the polymer matrix itself. Thus, a nanocomposite polymer material that can be multifunctional can be achieved.In various embodiments, the nanofiller may be selected from the group consisting of silver particles, up-converting (also called up-converting) nanoparticles (UCNP), nanoparticles (UCNP), magnetite (Fe 3 O 4)- nanoparticles, cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4)- nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, silica (SiO 2)- nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.Examples of up-converting nanoparticles may be lanthanides, for example ytterbium, thulium, erbium, neodymium and gadolinium. In various embodiments, the up-converting nanoparticles may be capable of absorbing near infrared light and converting it into ultraviolet light.According to various embodiments, the fourth solution may be prepared or synthesized or prepared, for example, before adding to the mixed solution of the first solution, the second solution and the third solution. The polyacrylic acid can be prepared in water in a concentration in a range from 2 wt % to 10 wt %, for example 4 wt % to 7 wt %, for example 5 wt %.According to various embodiments, the fourth solution may be added to the mixture of the first solution, the second solution and the third solution such that a ratio of polyaryletherketone:vinyl polymer:nanofiller (also after addition of the PAA) may be in a range from 200:799:1 wt % to 398:599:3 wt %. Subsequently, the obtained mixture of the first solution, the second solution, the third solution, and the fourth solution (also referred to as a prepared mixture) may be stirred at a temperature in a range of 50° C. to 70° C., for example, 60° C., for a certain period of time, for example, 30 min to 2 hours, for example, 1 hour. Here, the temperature may be the same at which the first solution and the second solution were stirred.According to various embodiments, providing the layer 220 may comprise drying the produced mixture. The drying can be carried out, for example, in such a way that the mixture produced can be poured into a Petri dish and can subsequently be dried at a temperature in a range from 50° C. to 70° C., for example at 60° C., for a specific period of time, for example from 4 hours to 6 hours, for example 5 hours.According to another aspect, a method of making a nanocomposite polymer material described above may be provided.Hereinafter, an example of the synthesis of a nanocomposite polymer material of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the following example is illustrative only, and the present invention is not limited thereto.In the example according to the present invention, the nanocomposite polymer material is constituted of hydroxylated sulfonated polyether (ether ketone) (SPEEK-OH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and PAA-coated nanofiller.Synthesis of SPEEK-OH:DMSO (9 mL) and NaBH 4(10 mg) are placed in a 50 mL round bottom flask and combined with a reflux condenser. The solution is heated at 120°C with stirring. The SPEEK (900 mg) is then added and the reaction is stirred in an oil bath at 120°C for 12 hours. After completion of the reaction by cooling to room temperature, 2 ml of methanol is added and the mixture is stirred for a further 2 hours. The resulting solution is then poured onto a petri dish and dried in an aerated oven at 70°C for 5 hours.providing the first solution and the second solution:First, the two polymers are separately dissolved in 10 ml of water with magnetic stirring. The SPEEK-OH solution is placed in an oil bath at 50°C for 1 hour, while the PVA solution is heated at 100°C in an oil bath for 1 hour. To prevent water evaporation, the PVA solution is heated under reflux while the SPEEK-OH solution is covered with parafilm.The two solutions are then mixed together at 60° C. for 1 hour. The weight ratio of SPEEK-OH / PVA used for the preparation of the layer is 30:70 (225 mg SPEEK and 525 mg PVA) (20 ml).Addition of the third solution and the fourth solution:Subsequently, an aqueous solution of PAA-coated nanofiller (33.3 μl of a 30 mg / ml dispersion, Milli-Q water as a dispersion medium) is added to the mixture and stirred for 1 hour. An aqueous PAA solution (6 ml of a 5% by weight solution, Milli-Q water as solvent) is then added to the mixture. The mixture is stirred at 60°C for 1 hour.Drying of the prepared mixture and thermal treatment:The mixture produced is then poured into a Petri dish and dried in the oven at 60° C. for 5 hours. This step is followed by heating at 170°C for 30 minutes, which results in the formation of ester bonds by the crosslinking reaction between the PAA carboxylic acid groups and the PVA and SPEEK-OH hydroxyl groups. The nanocomposite polymer material thus synthesized has the shape of a round layer (diameter: 63 mm, thickness: 0.28 mm).The water adsorbability of the nanocomposite polymer material is demonstrated by swelling tests in water. The swelling test is carried out as described in PaviElle Lockhart, et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2016 120 (22), 3867-3877. A 663 mg dried layer is immersed in 200 ml of Milli-Q water at room temperature and its weight is measured. After 1 hour, a weight increase of 90.22±3.40% is observed. The hydrophilic and porous nanocomposite polymer material allows for simplified diffusion of oxygen into the layer. This increases the area of the polymer matrix that may be in contact with the pollutants of the water, so that the SPEEK and PVA radicals may react more efficiently with these pollutants to enable more efficient degradation.FIG. 3 illustrates an infrared spectrum of the synthesized nanocomposite polymer material.ATR infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) is used for the analysis of the chemical bonds of the nanocomposite polymer material. The ATR-FTIR spectra are registered with an IRAffinity-1S (Shimadzu, Japan) equipped with a GladiATR-10 ATR accessory. The spectra are obtained in absorption mode, 32 scans being recorded with a resolution of 2 cm -1 in the wave number range 4000-500 cm -1.First, the spectrum of the nanocomposite polymer material in FIG. 3 shows typical peaks at 1298 cm -1 and 1080 cm -1, due to asymmetric and symmetric O=S=O stretching oscillations of the sulfonate functional group of SPEEK-OH (see Shaogang Feng, et al., Journal of Membrane Science, Volume 352, Issues 1-2, 2010, 14-21).The peaks at 1748 cm -1, 1225 cm -1 and 1123 cm -1 correspond to the C=O, C C-O and O-C-C stretches of the ester groups formed by the cross-linking reaction of PAA carboxylic acid groups and PVA and SPEEK-OH hydroxyl groups (see Prafulla Kumar Sahoo, et al., International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials, 55(1), 65-78 (2006); and Smith, B.C., Spectroscopy, 33(7), 20-23 (2018)). The peak at 1596 cm -1 is due to the unreacted carboxyl groups of PAA and the peak at 3280 cm -1 is due to the stretches of hydroxyl groups on PVA and SPEEK-OH (see Shaogang Feng, et al., Journal of Membrane Science, Volume 352, Issues 1-2, 2010, 14-21; and Rudra, R., et al., RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 83436-83447).The combination of the three peaks at 1748, 1225, and 1123 cm -1 confirms the formation of the ester bond that binds the nanofillers to the polymer matrix.Comparative examples of nanocomposite polymer materials with different nanofillers are described. The nanocomposite polymer materials used in these comparative examples were synthesized according to the method described above.The proportion of nanofillers released (or leaked) from the nanocomposite polymer material for nanocomposite polymer materials with different nanofillers is determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with the iCap RQ device from Thermo Fisher Scientific.Three nanocomposite polymer materials of SPEEK and PVA were synthesized. The first nanocomposite polymer material according to the present invention comprises PAA-coated nanofillers, in the case of up-converting nanoparticles, wherein PAA was used as a cross-linking agent. The second nanocomposite polymer material as Comparative Example 1 is ligand-free. The third nanocomposite polymer material as Comparative Example 2 comprises alendronate-coated nanofillers (UCPN). In both Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the nanocomposite polymer material was synthesized using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinking agent under acidic conditions according to the method described above. These nanocomposite polymer materials were immersed in ultra pure water saturated with air at room temperature and with constant stirring. After 24 hours, aliquots of the supernatant were removed for ICP-MS analysis.FIG. 4A illustrates a graph of the proportion of the entrapped nanofillers in nanocomposite polymer materials having various nanofillers, wherein the proportion of the entrapped nanofillers was determined after the respective nanocomposite polymer materials were immersed in water for 24 hours. The percentage of incorporated nanofillers in the nanocomposite polymer materials according to Comparative Example 1 (ligand-free) and Comparative Example 2 (alendronate-coated UCNP) is less than 30%, while the percentage of incorporated nanofillers according to the present invention (PAA-coated nanofillers) is over 99%.According to the ICP-MS results, the GA-crosslinked ligand-free and alendronate-coated nanofillers are ejected from the respective nanocomposite polymer materials according to Comparative Examples 1 and 2 after the nanocomposites are swollen in water. The PAA-crosslinked nanocomposite polymer material, on the other hand, has high stability and successfully included PAA-coated nanofillers.FIG. 4B illustrates a graph of the evolution of the proportion of PAA-coated nanofillers in the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite polymer material according to the present invention of FIG. 4A over a period of 24 hours to 4 weeks when the nanocomposite polymer material is in use, i.e., immersed in water.The inclusion stability of the embedded PAA-coated nanofillers in the nanocomposite polymer material according to the present invention was monitored by ICP-MS measurements of the Y 3+-, Yb 3+-, and Tm 3+- ions (i.e., the major component of the UCNP) in water.The nanocomposite polymer material with PAA-coated nanofillers was stored in ultra-pure water at room temperature for 4 weeks. Aliquots of the supernatant were taken after 48 hours, 72 hours, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks for ICP-MS analysis.As can be seen in FIG. 4B, the percentage of incorporated nanofiller was over 99% over the entire period of time.The nanocomposite polymer material according to the present invention has a long-term stability of the nanofiller within the nanocomposite polymer material.According to the above-described manufacturing method, a SPEEK-PVA-PAA nanocomposite polymer material having upconverting nanoparticles (UCNP) as a nanofiller was manufactured. The multifunctional nanocomposite polymer material may be used immediately after synthesis in the form of a layer without any carrier.Hydrogen peroxide Production:This multifunctional nanocomposite polymer material can generate hydrogen peroxide by absorbing near infrared light, which can be used for photocatalytic degradation of adverse pollutants in waste water. In addition to the photocatalytic property, the nanocomposite polymer material can additionally adsorb these pollutants into the polymer matrix by means of its ability to absorb water.Quantification of hydrogen peroxide production was performed by the iodide molybdate method as described in PaviElle Lockhart, et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2016 120 (22), 3867-3877. The swollen layer was totally immersed in Milli-Q water and irradiated under visible light (by means of a solar simulator (Engineer's Office Mencke & Tegtmyer GmbH, Germany)), a small aliquot of the water being sampled at certain times. The sample was mixed with 1 mL of 0.1 M aqueous potassium biphthalate solution and 1 mL of 0.4 M KI, 0.06 M NaOH and 2·10 -4 M (Na) 2 MoO 4 solution to obtain a final 3 mL mixture. The UV-Vis spectrum of this final mixture was recorded with a Varian Cary 100 UV-Vis spectrophotometer.FIG. 5 illustrates a graph of hydrogen peroxide production from nanocomposite polymer materials without and with different nanofillers during a 2 hour irradiation.The production of hydrogen peroxide from PVA / SPEEK-PAA-crosslinked nanocomposite polymer material is determined with 1 mg of PAA-coated UCNP. This result is compared with PVA / SPEEK layers cross-linked with GA and ligand-free / alendronate coated, as well as with a layer without UCNP (blank).The ligand free UCNP embedded layer and alendronate coated layer do not produce significant additional amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2). compared to the blank layer. However, the PAA-coated UCNP-embedded layer could produce H 2 O 2 at a concentration about 8 times higher than the bare layer after 120 minutes of irradiation.Antibiotic Adsorption and Degradation:Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is an antibiotic that is normally found in hospital wastewaters. It was selected to test the adsorption and photodegradability of the nanocomposite polymer materials thus prepared.Prior to the CIP adsorption and degradation experiments, the nanocomposite polymer materials were preswollen in water.The results in Figure 6 show the percentage of CIP adsorption on 1.25 g of PAA cross-linked PVA / SPEEK-OH nanocomposite polymer materials with / without UCNP from a CIP solution (100 ml at 100 mg / l) over 150 minutes. The layer without UCNP adsorbed 89.78 % of the original CIP, the layer with UCNP 87.15 %. These results demonstrate that the nanocomposite polymer material can adsorb effectively with UCNP CIP and that the addition of UCNP in the polymer matrix has no adverse effect on its adsorption capacity.Photocatalytic degradation of CIP under the solar simulator through the layers with / without UCNP was compared with photolysis of antibiotics (i.e., in the absence of the layer) under the solar simulator.With an irradiation time of 240 minutes, negligible degradation of CIP (0.006%) was observed during photolysis and in the experiment in the presence of the layer without UCNPs (0.19%), while the film with UCNP degraded almost 50% of the CIP.These results demonstrate that the film with UCNPs is an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of CIP.Antibacterial activity:The PAA-crosslinked PVA / SPEEK-OH nanocomposite polymer material can be provided with antibacterial activity by adding PAA-coated silver nanoparticles (PAA-AgNP) in the formulation.500 μl of a 0.58 mg / ml PAA-AgNP aqueous stock dispersion was used for the preparation of the AgNP loaded nanocomposite polymer material using the same method as for the incorporation of the PAA coated nanofillers.The bactericidal effect of PAA-AgNP embedded in the PAA-crosslinked PVA / SPEEK-OH nanocomposite polymer material layer was studied against Escherichia coli. The yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) strain of E. coli was used. All bacteria were cultured in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium.First, an initial culture of E. coliwas prepared and grown overnight at 37°C. The growth of E. coliwas monitored by measuring the optical density at a wavelength of 600 nm (OD 600) with a Biophotometer (Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany). This starting culture was diluted to obtain an optical density of 0.35. Aliquots of 20 ml were poured onto four petri dishes to conduct the antibacterial tests.The E. coli samples were treated at room temperature under the following conditions: 1) no UVA irradiation was performed (blank); 2) the sample was irradiated with UVA light; 3) the polymer material layer without PAA-AgNB was placed in the petri dish and irradiated with UVA light; 4) the nanocomposite polymer material layer with PAA-AgNB was placed in the petri dish and irradiated with UVA light.These treatments were carried out every 45 minutes. Subsequently, 2 ml of the solution was taken from the samples and diluted in 50 ml of LB medium. These new cultures were incubated at 37°C for 4 hours. Finally, the OD 600 for the various samples was recorded and compared. The UV lamp used for these experiments was a professional nail with 5 lamps emitting at 365 nm with a power of 9 W.By recording the OD 600 after a growth time of 4 hours, the bactericidal efficacy of each treatment, E, could be calculated as follows:Where OD 600,blank and OD 600,treated are the optical density of the untreated sample (blank) and the treated sample.The corresponding results (Table 1) show that the bacterial cultures grown after 4 hours from the samples treated with a polymer layer (with or without NP) and irradiated with UVA light have a lower cell concentration than the culture grown again from the untreated sample.Irradiation with UVA light led to a decrease in the bacterial concentration by 14%, treatment with the polymer layer without PAA-Ag to a decrease by 27% and treatment with the nanocomposite polymer material layer with PAA-AgNP to a decrease by 24%. Subtraction of the contribution of UVA light (14%) was performed to isolate the contribution of the polymer films in the inactivation of E. coli. The polymer layer without PAA-Ag contributed 13%, while the nanocomposite polymer material layer with PAA-AgNP contributed 10%. Table 1. Optical density of E. coli cultures under the various experimental conditions and corresponding bactericidal activities recorded at 600 nm. Table 1. Optical density of E. coli cultures under the various experimental conditions and corresponding bactericidal activities recorded at 600 nm.Preculture0,35Blank Blank0,59UV light0,5114 %Polymer layer + UV light0,4327 %Polymer layer with AgNPs+ UV light0,4524 %The kinetic study revealed that the polymer layer without NP produces H 2 O 2 with a rate constant of 1.44 μM(H 2 O 2) / min, about 2.3 times higher than that of the nanocomposite polymer material layer with embedded PAA-AgNB (0.62 μM(H 2 O 2) / min).This result, compared with the similar bactericidal activity of the two layers (27% and 24% respectively), suggests that the PAA-AgTM spielen an active role and act synergetically with H 2 O 2 in bacterial inactivation.Various examples relating to the above-described one and illustrated in the figures will be described below.Example 1 is a nanocomposite polymer material comprising: a polymer matrix comprising a polyaryletherketone comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one arylketo group; and a vinyl polymer comprising or consisting of or formed from monomers comprising at least one hydroxyl group; and a nanofiller (nanofiller); wherein the polyaryletherketone is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid, wherein the vinyl polymer is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid, and wherein the nanofiller is stabilized by means of covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid of the polyaryletherketone and / or with the polyacrylic acid of the vinyl polymer such that leakage of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix is prevented.In Example 2, the nanocomposite polymer material of Example 1 may further include that the crosslinking of the polyaryletherketone with the polyacrylic acid is formed by covalent bonds between at least some of the arylketo groups of the polyaryletherketone and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the polyacrylic acid.In Example 3, the nanocomposite polymer material according to Example 1 or 2 may further include that the crosslinking of the vinyl polymer with the polyacrylic acid is formed by covalent bonds between at least some of the hydroxyl groups of the vinyl polymer and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the polyacrylic acid.In Example 4, the nanocomposite polymer material according to any one of Examples 1 to 3 may further include that the polyaryletherketone and the vinyl polymer form a polymer network without direct covalent crosslinking (or without covalent bonds) between the polymer chains of the polyaryletherketone and the polymer chains of the vinyl polymer.In Example 5, the nanocomposite polymer material of any one of Examples 1 to 4 may further include that the polyaryletherketone is sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK).In Example 6, the nanocomposite polymer material according to any one of Examples 1 to 5 may further include that the vinyl polymer is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).Example 7 may further include the nanocomposite polymer material of any one of Examples 1 to 6, wherein the nanofiller includes or consists of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles.In Example 8, the nanocomposite polymer material of any one of Examples 1 to 7 may further include that the polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles are silver particles and / or up-converting nanoparticles.In Example 9, the nanocomposite polymer material according to any one of Examples 1 to 8 may further include that the polymer matrix constitutes a photosensitive material.Example 10 is a method for producing a nanocomposite polymer material, the method comprising: producing a mixture 210 from a first solution comprising polyaryletherketone formed from monomers comprising at least one arylketo group, a second solution comprising a vinyl polymer formed from monomers comprising at least one hydroxyl group, a third solution comprising a nanofiller, and a fourth solution comprising polyacrylic acid; providing a layer 220 using the produced mixture; and thermally treating the provided layer 230 to obtain the nanocomposite polymer material.In Example 11, the method of Example 10 may further include that the thermally treating 230 is performed such that, in the obtained nanocomposite polymer material, the polyaryletherketone is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; the vinyl polymer is crosslinked with polyacrylic acid; and the nanofiller is stabilized by covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid of the polyaryletherketone and / or with the polyacrylic acid of the vinyl polymer such that leakage of the nanofiller from the polymer matrix is prevented.In Example 12, the method of Example 10 or 11 may further include that preparing the mixture 210 includes: mixing the first solution 212 with the second solution to obtain a mixed solution; subsequently, adding the third solution 214 to the mixed solution; and subsequently, adding the fourth solution 216.In Example 13, the method of Example 12 may further include mixing the first solution and the second solution such that the ratio of polyaryletherketone to vinyl polymer is in a range from 20:80 wt % to 40:60 wt %.In Example 14, the method of Examples 12 and 13 may further include converting at least some of the keto group of the polyaryletherketone to hydroxy groups.In Example 15, the method according to any one of Examples 12 to 14 may further include that, to provide the first solution, the polyaryl ether ketone is dissolved in water and then stirred at a temperature in a range from 40° C. to 60° C. for a certain period of time.In Example 16, the method according to any one of Examples 12 to 15 may further include, for providing the second solution ( 204), dissolving the vinyl polymer in water, and then stirring it at a temperature in a range from 90° C. to 110° C. for a certain period of time.In Example 17, the method according to any of Examples 10 to 16 can furthermore have the fact that the provision of the layer 220 has a drying of the mixture produced.In Example 18, the method according to any of Examples 10 to 17 can further comprise thermally treating 230 being carried out at a temperature in a range from 150° C. to 190° C. for a period in a range from 15 min to 45 min.In Example 19, the method of any one of Examples 10 to 18 may further include that the nanocomposite polymer material includes a polymer matrix, wherein the polymer matrix includes the polyaryletherketone and the vinyl polymer, and the polymer matrix forms a photosensitive material.In Example 20, the method of any one of Examples 10 to 19 may further include that the polyaryletherketone is sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK).In Example 21, the method of any one of Examples 10 to 20 may further include that the vinyl polymer is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).In Example 22, the method of any one of Examples 10 to 21 may further include that the nanofiller includes or consists of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles.In Example 23, the method of Example 22 may further include that the polyacrylic acid coated nanoparticles are silver particles and / or up-converting nanoparticles.In Example 24, the method of any one of Examples 10 to 23 may include preparing a nanocomposite polymer material of any one of Examples 1 to 9.

Claims

A nanocomposite polymer material (100) comprising: a polymer matrix comprising: - a polyaryletherketone (102) comprising hydrolyzed keto groups; and - a vinyl polymer (104) comprising monomers having at least one hydroxyl group; and a nanofiller (110); wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) is cross-linked with polyacrylic acid (106), wherein the vinyl polymer (104) is cross-linked with polyacrylic acid (106), and wherein the nanofiller (110) is stabilized by covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the polyaryletherketone (102) and / or with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the vinyl polymer (104) such that leakage of the nanofiller (110) from the polymer matrix is prevented.The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of claim 1, wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) comprises monomers each comprising at least one arylketo group.The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of claim 2, wherein the cross-linking of the polyaryletherketone (102) with the polyacrylic acid (106) is formed via covalent bonds between at least some hydroxylated keto groups of the polyaryletherketone (102) and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the polyacrylic acid (106).The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the crosslinking of the vinyl polymer (104) with the polyacrylic acid (106) is formed by covalent bonds between at least some of the hydroxyl groups of the vinyl polymer (104) and at least some of the carboxyl groups of the polyacrylic acid (106).The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) and the vinyl polymer (104) form a polymer network without direct covalent cross-linking between the polymer chains of the polyaryletherketone (102) and the polymer chains of the vinyl polymer (104).The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) is sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK).The nanocomposite polymer material (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vinyl polymer (104) is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).The nanocomposite polymer material (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the nanofiller (110) comprises or consists of polyacrylic acid-coated nanoparticles.The nanocomposite polymer material (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the polyacrylic acid coated nanoparticles are silver particles and / or up-converting nanoparticles.The nanocomposite polymer material (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the polymer matrix forms a photosensitive material.The nanocomposite polymer material (100) of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) is sulfonated polyaryletherketone (102).A method for producing a nanocomposite polymer material (100), the method comprising: - producing a mixture (210) from a first solution comprising a polyaryletherketone (102) comprising hydrolyzed keto groups, a second solution comprising a vinyl polymer (104) formed from monomers comprising at least one hydroxyl group, a third solution comprising a nanofiller (110), and a fourth solution comprising polyacrylic acid (106); - providing a layer (220) using the produced mixture; and - thermally treating the provided layer (230) to obtain the nanocomposite polymer material (100).The method according to claim 12, wherein the thermally treating (230) is carried out such that in the obtained nanocomposite polymer material (100): - the polyaryletherketone (102) is cross-linked with the polyacrylic acid (106); - the vinyl polymer (104) is cross-linked with the polyacrylic acid (106); and - the nanofiller (110) is stabilized by means of covalent bonds with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the polyaryletherketone (102) and / or with the polyacrylic acid (106) of the vinyl polymer (104) such that the nanofiller (110) is prevented from leaking out of the polymer matrix.The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein preparing the mixture (210) comprises: - mixing the first solution (212) with the second solution to obtain a first mixed solution; - subsequently, adding the third solution (214) to the first mixed solution; and - subsequently, adding the fourth solution (216), optionally wherein the first solution is provided prior to mixing with the second solution such that at least some hydrolyzed keto groups of the polyaryletherketone (102) are converted to hydroxy groups.The method of claim 14, wherein the first solution and the second solution are mixed such that the ratio of polyaryletherketone to vinyl polymer is in a range from 20:80 wt% to 40:60 wt%.The method of any of claims 12 to 15, wherein providing the layer (220) comprises drying the produced mixture.The method of any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the nanocomposite polymer material comprises a polymer matrix, wherein the polymer matrix comprises the polyaryletherketone (102) and the vinyl polymer (104), and the polymer matrix forms a photosensitive material; and / or wherein the polyaryletherketone (102) is a sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK); and / or wherein the vinyl polymer (104) is polyvinyl alcohol (PVA); and / or wherein the nanofiller (110) comprises or consists of polyacrylic acid coated nanoparticles.

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