Effect of modified ZnO nanoparticle on the properties of polylactide ultrafine fibers

ABSTRACT Zinc oxide (ZnO) was modified with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) to obtain hydrophobicity and used to reinforce polylactide (PLA), an environmentally friendly polymer. The PLA/HDTMS‐modified ZnO (m‐ZnO) nanocomposite prepared by adding m‐ZnO to the PLA matrix was fabricated into ultrafine fiber using electrospinning. Neat PLA and PLA/ZnO were used for comparisons. Structural analysis of the nanoparticles proved that the ZnO was modified successfully, and that the modification affected dispersibility and hydrophobicity, as observed by morphological, visual, and water repellency tests. The morphological analysis of the electrospun ultrafine fabrics under suitable conditions confirmed that the nanoparticles were well incorporated, and the desired functional changes were observed. Measurement of water repellency and mechanical, thermal properties were used to analyze the effect of nanoparticle modification and composition on fabrics. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136 , 47446.