Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 March 2011
Nanocrystalline ZnO particle–polymer hybrid was synthesized by controlled polymerization and hydrolysis of zinc acrylate (ZA). 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra revealed the polymerization of ZA during hydrolysis in the presence of hydrazine at 65 °C for 24 h. Nanocrystalline ZnO particles were dispersed in the organic matrix through the polymerization–hydrolysis reaction of ZA using hydrazine or methylhydrazine. ZnO particles increased in crystallinity with increasing amount of water for hydrolysis in the system using hydrazine. Methylhydrazine was found to yield ZnO with higher crystallinity than that obtained using hydrazine. The nanocrystalline particles were identified to be ZnO by electron diffraction. ZnO particle–polymer hybrid was workable by mild heating into transparent films between silica plates. The absorption edge of the transparent ZnO particle–polymer hybrid film was blue-shifted depending on the size of ZnO particles.