Nano-silica reinforced hybrid light-diffusing films with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties

Ultraviolet-curable hybrid light-diffusing films with good optical, mechanical and thermal properties were prepared by involving vinyl-silane-modified nano-silica into light-diffusing films. The light-diffusing films were two-phase materials consisting of UV-curable matrix and light-diffusing agent. The effect of three different light-diffusing agents, viz. inorganic layered particle (CaCO3), spherical acrylic resin (MR-7HG) and organosilicone resin (KMP-590) and their contents, on the optical properties of light-diffusing films was studied. The results showed the light-diffusing film exhibited good optical properties (the transmittance was 90.7% and the haze was 95.5%) when KMP-590 was a light-diffusing agent and its content was 25%. It was because that KMP-590 showed good transparency, good dispersion in the UV-curable matrix and the greater difference in refractive index with UV-curable matrix and polycarbonate substrate. Furthermore, the effect of nano-silica on the optical, mechanical and thermal properties of the hybrid light-diffusing films was investigated. Compared to that of the light-diffusing films without nano-silica, the haze of the hybrid light-diffusing films containing nano-silica was lightly enhanced to above 98%, while their transmittance basically remained unchanged at a high value (above 89%). Additionally, scratch and abrasion resistance of the hybrid films were obviously improved by nano-silica especially with the particle size of 10–15 nm. Furthermore, the mechanical property and thermal stability of the hybrid films were improved as the content of nano-silica with the particle size of 10–15 nm increased. The enhanced mechanical property and thermal stability of the films could be attributed to the dense structure induced by the increase in network density with the addition of vinyl-silane-modified nano-silica