Elaboration and characterization of a multifunctional silane/ZnO hybrid nanocomposite coating

The present study aims at investigating the elaboration of a ZnO/sol–gel nanocomposite coating, which can provide a number of properties such as UV-absorption, mechanical and barrier effects, etc. depending on targeted applications. The sol–gel coating formulation is an inorganic–organic hybrid based on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS). In order to ensure good dispersion in the sol–gel matrix, ZnO nanoparticles were surface-modified with a silane coupling agent. The functionalization was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses. Field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) characterization of the nanocomposite film reveals a homogeneous distribution and dispersion of the ZnO nanoparticles throughout the film. Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) analysis allows evaluating the thickness of coatings and getting a depth composition profile. Some properties such as UV-absorption and barrier effect are highlighted using a UV–visible spectrometer and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively. The effect of ZnO concentration is also presented.