Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Nanostructured Acrylic Films Based on Methacylate Modified Zirconium Oxocluster

• Published in: Macromolecular chemistry and physics Vol. 208; no. 16; pp. 1730 - 1736
• Main Authors: Sangermano, Marco, Gross, Silvia, Pracella, Luca, Priola, Aldo, Rizza, Giancarlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 20.08.2007; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; hybrid organic-inorganic coatings; photopolymerization; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers; TEM; XPS; zirconium oxocluster; photopolymerization; Dispersion degree; Hybrid material; Mass copolymerization; Composition effect; Thermal stability; Crosslinked copolymer; Ethylene oxide polymer; Methacrylate salt copolymer; hybrid organic-inorganic coatings; Acrylate copolymer; XPS; Photochemical copolymerization; zirconium oxocluster; Mechanical properties; Nanostructure; Hardness; Ethylene oxide copolymer; Experimental study; Quantitative surface analysis; Zirconium compound; Solid clusters; Morphology; Preparation; Prepolymer; TEM
• ISSN: 1022-1352; 1521-3935
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.200700148

Organic‐inorganic nanostructured acrylic films, based on methacrylate‐modified zirconium oxocluster, were prepared by UV‐induced polymerization, which yielded transparent and crack‐free layers. TEM analysis evidenced that all the inorganic particles are well dispersed with no significant macroscopic agglomerations. FT‐IR kinetic investigations showed that the presence of the zirconium oxocluster does not affect the photopolymerization rate or acrylic double bond conversion. An increase on Tg values of the cured films is evident at 15 wt.‐% load of the inorganic filler. A thermal stability increase was also achieved in the presence of the zirconium oxocluster. Surface studies performed by XPS analyses showed the presence of homogeneously distributed zirconium oxoclusters, which induces important improvements of the surface hardness evidenced on the basis of the pencil test.