Abstract: Silica/poly(methyl methacrylate) grafting composites (SiO2/PMMA) with different grafting/crosslinking structures and PMMA resin were used to prepare poly(methyl methacrylate)/silica (PMMA/SiO2) composite fiber via solution blending and electrospinning processes. The effects of grafting and crosslinking structure, solution solid content, silica content, spinning voltage, spinning distance, humidity and temperature on the structure and morphology of composite fiber were studied via 3D-POM, SEM, TEM. It was found that the simple-grafted silica with grafting percent of 484.4% is suitable for preparing electrospun fiber. A series of submicron PMMA/SiO2 composite fibers with regular morphology, smooth surface, adjustable fiber diameter and silica content in a wide range can be easily prepared under optimum conditions. Almost all of silica particles can be dispersed in fiber inner at a primary-particles size level, and this high dispersibility can be maintenance in a wide range of fiber diameter and silica content.

Key words: nanosilica, grafting, electrospinning, morphology