Preparation of zinc oxide/buyl acrylate nanocomposite latex for coating applicaion

Abstract

Nanocomposite latex of zinc oxide/poly(butyl acrylate) (ZnO/PBA) for coating on fabric was prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate in the presence of treated ZnO particles. The ZnO nanoparticles were first grafted with a silane coupling agent, 3-methacryloxylpropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS), in order to improve the interface compatibility between the ZnO and the organic PBA. One end of MPS was facilitated as an initiating point for PBA grafting by using potassium persulfate as an initiator in the presence of nonionic surfactant. The ZnO/PBA composite latex encapsulation was assured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the latex, about 162% of PBA were successfully grafted on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. The composite latex containing 0.3% by wt. of ZnO was fairly stable at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. Furthermore, the ZnO/PBA nanocomposite film displayed UV-shielding properties in both of UV and visible range. But the composite latex did not show any antibacterial activities against both of E. coli (gram negative) and S. aureus (gram positive) bacteria.