Volume 42, Issue 17 2100134
Research Article

A Highly Controlled Organic–Inorganic Encapsulation Nanocomposite with Versatile Features toward Wearable Device Applications

Ruijie Tang

Ruijie Tang

State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China

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Xiaoxue Yao

Xiaoxue Yao

Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077 China

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Jingyi Chen

Jingyi Chen

Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106 USA

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Sreepathy Sridar

Sreepathy Sridar

Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST UK

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Xianglei He

Xianglei He

State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China

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Yuan Pu

Yuan Pu

State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China

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Jie-Xin Wang

Jie-Xin Wang

State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China

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Dan Wang

Corresponding Author

Dan Wang

State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029 China

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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Steven Wang

Corresponding Author

Steven Wang

Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077 China

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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First published: 06 August 2021

Abstract

Ultraviolet-curable polyurethane acrylate (PUA) materials can be used in a number of important applications spanning from microfluidics, surface patterning to wearable technology. For the first time, the potential of encapsulation of modified zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles is reported in PUA-based hybrid films aimed to facilitate profoundly enhanced hardness and refractive index. By successfully manipulating the interfacial reaction conditions between ZrO2 nanoparticles and PUA film, the PUA-based nanocomposites exhibit an ultrahigh hardness of 9 and superior refractive index of 1.64 (589.3 nm). The outcomes obtained pave the way for seamless application of nanozirconia/PUA as a potent encapsulating material that provides structurally morphable, water resistant, and optically transparent light emitting diodes toward wearables devices in healthcare.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

Research data are not shared.

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