ZnO nanoparticles anchored to silica filler. A curing accelerator for isoprene rubber composites

Abstract ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were anchored to SiO 2 spherical nanoparticles by hydrolysis and condensation of Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 in the presence of SiO 2 . The ZnO/SiO 2 NPs were then blended with isoprene rubber. The immobilization of ZnO NPs on the silica surface, due to covalent Si O Zn bonds provides a homogeneous dispersion of zinc in the rubber matrix and increases the accessibility of the curative reactants to Zn 2+ ions. This improves the efficiency of the rubber curing and reduces the amount of used ZnO.