Surface Functionalization of Zirconia Nanocrystals with Silane Coupling Agent and its Dispersion Behavior in O-Phenylphenoxyethyl Acrylate

Highly crystalline and dispersible zirconia, synthesized by solvothermal reaction of zirconium (IV) isopropoxide isopropanol complex in benzyl alcohol, were functionalized with silane coupling agent and dispersed with o-phenylphenoxyethyl acrylate (OPPEA). Silane coupling agents such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) of amino functional silane, decyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) of alkyl functional silane and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (MPS) of acrylate functional silane have been used to modify nanoparticle surfaces and obtain dispersion of nanoparticles within OPPEA. The surface modified zirconia was compared according to silane coupling agent, FT-IR and TGA demonstrated that APTES, DMTS and MPS are chemically attached to the surface of the zirconia. The MPS-zirconia is dispersed as about 5 nm sized, whereas the APTES-zirconia, DTMS-zirconia are agglomerated. The MPS-zirconia/tetrahydrofuran (THF) sol at 15wt% loading shows high transmittance of 68 % at 550 cm-1 and the 50wt% surface modified-zirconia/OPPEA sol show refractive index of 1.657.