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Mechanically strong and transparent or translucent composites made using zirconium oxide nanoparticles

  • US 6,194,481 B1
  • Filed: 05/19/1999
  • Issued: 02/27/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A composition photopolymerizable into transparent or translucent solids comprising:

  • a matrix comprising monomers comprising a photopolymerizable unsaturated carbon-carbon bond;

    particles comprising zirconium oxide, said particles having a diameter in nanometers which is small enough to provide sufficient transparency but large enough to provide effective fracture toughness after photopolymerization;

    wherein said particles comprise a surface comprising hydroxyl groups, a first portion of said hydroxyl groups being bonded to a silicon atom of a silanating agent effective to increase hydrophobicity of said surface in an amount sufficent to allow said particles to be homogeneously dispersed in a hydrophobic resin, a second portion of said hydroxyl groups being bonded to a functionality selected from the group consisting of a zirconium atom of a photopolymerizable, hydrolyzable zirconate, and a zirconium atom or an aluminum atom of a photopolymerizable zircoaluminate.

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