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Fabrication of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite: effect of high nanoparticles loading on the optical and thermal properties

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Abstract

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with a particle size less than 50 nm were prepared using the solvothermal method from zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the presence of organic solvent (methanol or ethanol). PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite films were prepared by blending ZnO NPs with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) using solution mixing at concentration range of 0–40 wt%. The results show that the methanol was more efficient in the synthesis of ZnO NPs than ethanol. The thermal stability and glass temperature (Tg) were enhanced by about 60 and 22 K, respectively. UV-shielding efficiency (reduced transmission) was improved by 45 ± 5% with increasing ZnO NPs content from 2 to 40 wt%. The combination of the thermal and optical enhanced properties gives potential applications in different domains, i.e., optics, photonics, and electronics.

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Acknowledgement

S. H. would like to thank FUNDAPL and Chemical Department of Blida University to support this research works. A.B. would like to thank FWO—Research Foundation Flanders (Grant No. V450315 N) and the Strategic Initiative Materials in Flanders (SBO-project no. 130529—INSITU) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Analyse Fonctionnel et de Procédé Chimique, Université Saad Dahlab-Blida1, Route de Soumaa, 09000, Blida, Algeria

    Salim Hammani

  2. Department of Materials and Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Ahmed Barhoum

  3. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Helwan, Cairo, 11795, Egypt

    Ahmed Barhoum

  4. Institut Européen des Membranes, UMR 5635, ENSCM, UM, CNRS, Université Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier, France

    Mikhael Bechelany

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  1. Salim Hammani
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Correspondence to Salim Hammani or Ahmed Barhoum.

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Hammani, S., Barhoum, A. & Bechelany, M. Fabrication of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite: effect of high nanoparticles loading on the optical and thermal properties. J Mater Sci 53, 1911–1921 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1654-9

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