CHARACTERIZATION OF SILANE-MODIFIED ZRO2 POWDER SURFACES

Polymerizable organic silane molecules such as 3-(trimethoxysilyl)prop ylmethacrylate (gamma-MPS) have been grafted onto the surface of ZrO2 powders, via hydroxyl groups, to obtain hybrid 'macromonomers'. A comb ination of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform i nfrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Si-29 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy have been employed to study the interaction between orga nic silane molecules and the surface of the ZrO2 powders. The core-lev el XPS regions, Zr-3d, O-1s, C-1s and Si-2p, have been studied to dete rmine the nature of chemical bonding between the organic grafted monom er and inorganic phase and correlated with NMR results. Based upon the results obtained, it is proposed that grafting results in gamma-MPS b onded to the ZrO2 powder surface via Zr-OSi bonds accompanied by inter linkage of gamma-MPS molecules through Si-O-Si bonding. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.