Preparation and Characterization of Polyurethane/ZnO Nanoparticle Composites

The polyurethane/ZnO nanoparticle composites were prepared by in situ suspension polymerization. FT-IR results indicated that hydroxy groups on the ZnO nanoparticles reacted with isocyanate groups, which could improve the compatibility between ZnO nanoparticles and polyurethane to give better properties of nanocomposites. The polyurethane/ZnO nanoparticle composites showed the excellent tensile break strength. The effect of the ZnO nanoparticles on the damping properties were investigated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The nanoparticles affected the damping behaviors and significantly increased the values of the tan δ. The main reason was the significant formation of “core-shell” structure in the matrix.