Synthesis and performance study of zinc borate nanowhiskers

Zincborate (4ZnO center dot B2O3 center dot H2O) nanowhiskers were synthesized via one-step precipitation reaction in aqueous solution of sodium borate(Na2B4O7 center dot 10H(2)O)and zinc nitrate (Zn(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O) with phosphate ester as the modifying agent. The zinc borate nanowhiskers have the monoclinic crystal structure with diameters of 50-100 nm, lengths of about 1 mu m, and the aspect ratios close to 10-20. Finally the thermal stability of polyethylene has been shown to increase upon the addition of the nanowhiskers to it. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.