Synthesis and performance study of zinc borate nanowhiskers

Zinc borate (4ZnO·B2O3·H2O) nanowhiskers were synthesized via one-step precipitation reaction in aqueous solution of sodium borate (Na2B4O7·10H2O) and zinc nitrate (Zn(NO3)2·6H2O) 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 μm, 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.