Zirconium Propoxide Research Articles

The Durability of an Organic-Inorganic Sol-Gel Interlayer in Al-GFRP-CFRP Laminates in a Saline Environment.

The aim of the study was to assess the selected properties of a hybrid organic–inorganic silane sol–gel coating (HSG) used in hybrid fiber metal laminates (FML) in a corrosion environment. The HSG coating on the aluminum alloy was produced using 3M™ AC130-2 formulation consisting of 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and tetra-n-propoxyzirconium (zirconium(IV) propoxide) (TPOZ). Laminates consisted of aluminum alloy AA2024-T3 sheets, with carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) and a glass fiber reinforced metal–composite structure (GFRP). Potentiodynamic and polarization curve and impedance (EIS) tests were carried out on HSG at ambient temperatures after 1 h and 150 h of soaking. Neutral 0.5 M NaCl and 0.8 M NaCl solutions were used for open circuit potential (OCP) and potentiodynamic tests, and 0.5 NaCl was used for the EIS test. A neutral salt spray (NSS) test was applied to laminates with a 12 week exposure period. The results obtained revealed that the HSG coating did not provide sufficient protection against corrosion of the aluminum alloy in direct contact with an aggressive environment but was effective as an interlayer. Local aluminum sheet perforation did not lead to delamination at the metal–composite interface regardless of the type or configuration of the composite. This confirms the durability of HSG used in FMLs.

Effect of silica on flexibility of yttria-stabilized zirconia nanofibers for developing water purification membranes

Abstract The development of flexible ceramic nanofibers has attracted much attention because they may be able to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of ceramics and thus be applied towards air/water filtration media. Yttria-stabilized zirconia/silica (YSZ/silica) nanofibers with excellent flexibility could be prepared through (1) sol-gel, (2) electrospinning, and (3) calcination processes. Our research focused on the effect of ceramic precursor concentrations [tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and zirconium (IV) propoxide (ZrP)] on improving the flexibility of YSZ/silica nanofibers. By adjusting the TEOS and ZrP concentrations, two major parameters (grain size and fiber diameter, respectively) can be controlled. It was consequently revealed that smaller grain size and larger fiber diameter could increase the flexibility of YSZ/silica nanofibers. In addition, flexible YSZ/silica nanofibers successfully performed as microfiltration (MF) membranes, while exhibiting high pure water permeability and a high rejection rate (%) for polymeric nanoparticles.

Inhibition of acid undercutting of inorganic/organic hybrid polyurethane coatings

This study investigated the corrosion resistance of inorganic/organic hybrid polyurethane based coatings by using a mixture of sol-gel precursors. Four sol-gel precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), titanium(IV) isopropoxide (TIP), and zirconium(IV) propoxide (ZRP), were utilized in this study. Salt spray, acid undercutting, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were conducted to study the anticorrosion behavior of the coatings. Generally, samples based on mixed sol-gel precursors exhibited better protection compared to the urethane coating without sol-gel precursors or the coating with only TEOS as the single sol-gel precursor. In acid undercutting experiments, mixed sol-gel precursor samples provided the best results compared to the control and TEOS-based samples. Comparison of parameters extracted by EIS describing water uptake indicates mixed sol-gel precursor composition had the best anticorrosion performance, which was consistent with acid undercutting results. The impedance of the hybrid coatings, at the order of 1010 ohms cm2 at 0.01 Hz, were ca. 3 orders higher than the control sample. Coating capacitance for all the hybrid coatings were stable throughout the immersion time while that for the control sample had a significant change after short time. The water uptake for the control sample was close to 2.5% while that for all the hybrid coatings were about or lower than 0.5%. Morphology from SEM revealed that the organic inorganic sample with TEOS/TIP/ZRP mixed precursors maintained the coating integrity while higher porosity was developed in the control sample.

Effect of mixed sol-gel precursors on inorganic-organic polyurethane hybrid thermosets: DOE study

A series of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings were formulated using cyclohexane based polyester polyol reacting with hexamethylene diisocyanate isocyanurate (3HDI) as the organic polyurethane phase. The inorganic phase consisted of various sol-gel precursors [Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), Titanium(IV) isopropoxide (TIP), Zirconium(IV) propoxide (ZRP)]. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) mono-functionalized HDI (APTES-3HDI) was used as a coupling agent to link the organic phase and inorganic phase. The hetero-bonded silicon-oxygen-metal (Si-O-Metal) colloids resulting from a mixed species of sol-gel precursors within hybrids were formed and confirmed by Solid State NMR. The effect of mixed sol-gel precursors was investigated and optimized using design of experiments (DOEs) for the viscoelastic, mechanical, and coating properties. The synergistic effect of eliminating the phase separation and enhancing coating properties were observed from small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Preparation of ZrO2/silicone hybrid materials for LED encapsulation via in situ sol‐gel reaction

Organic silicones have been used as encapsulant materials for light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) for many years, while their performances need to be improved in order to satisfy the requirements of high‐power LEDs. A ZrO2/silicone hybrid resin (ZHR) was synthesized for LEDs encapsulation by in situ sol‐gel reactions. The oligosiloxane was synthesized as polymeric matrix by nonaqueous sol‐gel condensation using diphenylsilanediol (DPSD), vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS), and 3‐methacryloxy propyl trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) as monomers. Then zirconium propoxide was added into this polymeric matrix to be hydrolyzed to obtain the hybrid resin with a uniform dispersion of ZrO2 nanoparticles. The Si–O–Zr covalent bond was detected and benefited for excellent dispersibility of the ZrO2 nanoparticles and the well compatibility between organic and inorganic phases. The cured ZHR with 5 wt% ZrO2 content showed high light transmittance (greater than 80% in visible light range), high refractive index (=1.56), and high thermal stability (no yellowing at 150°C for 240 hours). The luminous flux of the LED chip with ZHR encapsulant was 10% higher than that of the pure silicone resin, suggesting that ZHR has great application potential in the field of LED packaging.

The effect of the sol–gel structure on the catalysis performance of l-proline

Two sol–gel materials based on tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and a combination of methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and zirconium propoxide were developed and used as host matrices for the organic catalyst (l-proline) and iron oxide nanoparticles with the objective of formulating a magnetic sol–gel catalyst. In order to investigate the effect of the sol–gel condensation process on the catalyst recyclability and the effect of the dopants on the structure of the sol–gel matrices, iron oxide nanoparticles and l-proline were introduced in the sol–gel matrices either during the sol–gel synthesis or at the end of the sol–gel synthesis. While both systems were successfully recycled three times when applied to the Aldol reaction, the TEOS based sol–gel material with the dopants introduced at the end of the sol–gel synthesis showed excellent reaction efficiency and recyclability with 99% conversion. In parallel, the zirconium sol–gel-based material did not enable any conversion. Remarkably, it is demonstrated that the process of introducing the dopants strongly effects the condensation of the inorganic networks of the sol–gel matrix by involving the organic catalyst in the catalysis of the condensation of the inorganic moieties. Furthermore, this condensation process is shown to play a major role in the mobility of the organic catalyst and therefore on its ability to be recycled. This study is, to our knowledge, the first that investigates the effect of the morphology and structure of sol–gel matrices on the catalytic performance of an organic catalyst.

HDT of the model diesel feed over Ir-modified Zr-SBA-15 catalysts

Iridium catalyst using different zirconium modified-SBA-15 supports were tested in the HDT of tetralin and typical sulfur and nitrogen compounds present in diesel feed. The zirconium modified-SBA-15 supports were synthesized by sol-gel method using two sources of zirconium, zirconyl chloride and zirconium (IV) propoxide. Regarding XRD, N2 adsorption isotherms and TEM, we obtained better textural and structural properties using the alkoxide, especially when lactic acid was added in order to decrease the hydrolysis rate of zirconium propoxide. In addition, XPS and DRUV-Vis demonstrated that zirconium was incorporated mainly as tetrahedral Zr4+ species NH3-TPD showed that higher acidity is observed when tetrahedral Zr4+ species are present. Iridium dispersion was determined by TEM and H2-chemisorption and reducibility by XPS and TPR. Among the catalysts prepared, the catalyst synthesized using zirconium propoxide and lactic acid presented the highest dispersion, lowest cluster size and lowest reduction temperature. Consequently, this was the most active catalyst for the hydrogenation of tetralin, the HDN of indole and quinoline and the HDS of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT). The presence of Zr+4 had a remarkable effect on the dispersion and reducibility capacity of the iridium actives species. In addition, the presence of moderate acidity in this material gives the best catalyst for HDN and HDS in the studied conditions. The inhibition effect of the sulfur and nitrogen compounds over tetralin hydrogenation was studied using individual feeds and a mixture feed. We observe that 4,6-DMDBT and quinoline were the most refractory compounds and they showed the highest inhibition effect. Tetralin hydrogenation was stronger inhibited when using the mixture feed compared with the individual feeds. This can be explained in terms of the competition between the different compounds that retard the rate of hydrogenation of tetralin. However, a high conversion of tetralin was achieved even when 300 ppm of S or N was added. The most active catalyst synthesized by direct synthesis using propoxide and lactic acid was stable after several catalytic cycles making this material as potential catalyst for HDT reaction at mild conditions.

Photocatalytic Nanoparticulate ZrxTi1‐xO2 Coatings with Controlled Homogeneity of Elemental Composition

AbstractThe mixed oxide ZrxTi1‐xO2 nanoparticulate photocatalysts of different compositions (0≤x≤1) were prepared via sol‐gel method in a rapid micromixing reactor followed by chemical colloid deposition on borosilicate glass beads, drying and heat treatment at temperatures between 400 to 650 °C. The point‐like reaction conditions in the regime of low Damköhler numbers resulted in nucleation of size‐selected reactive zirconium‐titanium oxo‐alkoxy (ZTOA) nanoparticles from zirconium (IV) propoxide and titanium (IV) isopropoxide precursors, which enable strong covalent bonds with hydrophilic supports. The ZTOA nanoparticles with compositions 0≤x≤0.2 convert after a heat treatment to nanoporous monocrystals in distorted anatase phase. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared nanoparticulate coatings on gaseous ethylene decomposition attained maximum at x=0.043 after heat treatment at 500 °C, which was two times higher than that of pure anatase TiO2. A net correlation between the material photocatalytic activity and amplitude of the slow power decay of photoinduced charges was observed. A model is proposed explaining the power law decay by a thermal release of the localised charges from shallow surface Urbach states. The number density of these states is connected to the specific surface area of the photocatalyst.

Towards the fluorescence retention and colloidal stability of InP quantum dots through surface treatment with zirconium propoxide

ABSTRACTThrough the synthetic development of sophisticated core/shell heterostructures, the fluorescent properties of quantum dots (QDs) have been steadily improved to a level that can ultimately meet the industrial demands, but their reliability is still insufficient, particularly showing low fluorescence stability against degradable conditions. As one solution to this issue, an additional physical barrier typically with an oxide phase has been introduced to protect the QD surface from the environment. In this work, a strategy for improving the stability of QDs involving the passivation of their surfaces with zirconium propoxide (Zr(PrO)4) is suggested. Multi-shelled green QDs of InP/ZnSeS/ZnS were first synthesized, and then their surfaces were in-situ-treated with Zr(PrO)4. To confirm the presence of Zr(PrO)4-derived species on the QD surfaces, chemical analyses of the Zr(PrO)4-treated QDs were performed through Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopic measurements. A photostability test of two comparative InP/ZnSeS/ZnS QDs – one treated without and one with Zr(PrO)4 – was performed by exposing their dispersions to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for prolonged periods of time, up to 120 h. It was revealed that Zr(PrO)4 treatment is highly effective in improving fluorescence retention and colloidal stability.

The influence of ZrO2 precursor type on the structure of ZrO2-TiO2-SiO2 gels and selected thin films

Zirconia-silica materials show valuable properties but usually they are synthesized via high temperature processes. The sol-gel method makes it possible to obtain materials of the same properties but at much lower temperatures. In the present work, tetraethyl orthosilicate TEOS Si(OC2H5)4 and titanium propoxide Ti(OC3H7)4 were used in the sol-gel method as SiO2 and TiO2 precursors, respectively. Additionally, different ZrO2 precursors were applied: zirconium acetate Zr(OOC2H3)4, zirconium propoxide Zr(OC3H7)4 or zirconium butoxide Zr(OC4H9)4. All gels were of the same molar ratio ZrO2:TiO2:SiO2 = 0.089: 0.018: 0.089, but they were synthesized using different ZrO2 precursors, as mentioned above. Because each precursor of titania, silica and zirconia shows different rates of hydrolysis and polycondensation processes, the syntheses were conducted applying ethyl alcohol (98%pure) as a solvent. All gels were then dried in air and annealed at 500 °C, 800 °C and 1200 °C. Additionally, thin films based on one of the ZrO2 precursors, zirconium propoxide Zr(OC3H7) and two sols of different degrees of dilution, but the same molar ratio of ZrO2: TiO2: SiO2 as in gels, were prepared. Coatings were deposited on steel substrates by dip coating technique. To improve mechanical properties and adhesion, all coatings were annealed at 500 °C in air.For all samples, a wide range of structural studies was carried out, covering FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and SEM. The surface of thin films was examined using AFM to estimate the roughness and the particles size in the samples. The results allowed concluding on the influence of different types of ZrO2 precursors on the structure and morphology of the obtained gels and thin films. The focus was put especially on the presence and stabilization of the metastable tetragonal form of ZrO2, which is advantageous because of its valuable properties. Preliminary studies of hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of thin films were undertaken by measuring the contact angle values.

Innovative Formulation Combining Al, Zr and Si Precursors to Obtain Anticorrosion Hybrid Sol-Gel Coating.

The aim of our study is to improve the aluminium alloy corrosion resistance with Organic-Inorganic Hybrid (OIH) sol-gel coating. Coatings are obtained from unusual formulation with precursors mixing: glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), zirconium (IV) propoxide (TPOZ) and aluminium tri-sec-butoxide (ASB). This formulation was characterized and compared with sol formulations GPTMS/TPOZ and GPTMS/ASB. In each formulation, a corrosion inhibitor, cerium (III) nitrate hexahydrate, is employed to improve the corrosion performance. Coatings obtained from sol based on GPTMS/TPOZ/ASB have good anti-corrosion performances with Natural Salt Spray (NSS) resistance of 500 h for a thickness lower than 4 µm. Contact angle measurement showed a coating hydrophobic behaviour. To understand these performances, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses were performed, results make sol-gel coating condensation evident and are in very good agreement with previous results.

Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots in silica matrix prepared by a modified sol–gel protocol

Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots (t-ZrO2 QDs) in silica matrix with different compositions (x)ZrO2–(100 − x)SiO2 were fabricated by a modified sol–gel protocol. Acetylacetone was added as a chelating agent to zirconium propoxide to avoid precipitation. The powders as well as thin films were given thermal treatment at 650, 875 and 1100 °C for 4 h. The silica matrix remained amorphous after thermal treatment and acted as an inert support for zirconia quantum dots. The tetragonal zirconia embedded in silica matrix transformed into monoclinic form due to thermal treatment ≥ 1100 °C. The stability of tetragonal phase of zirconia is found to enhance with increase in silica content. A homogenous dispersion of t-ZrO2 QDs in silica matrix was indicated by the mapping of Zr, Si and O elements obtained from scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analyser. The transmission electron images confirmed the formation of tetragonal zirconia quantum dots embedded in silica. The optical band gap of zirconia QDs (3.65–5.58 eV) was found to increase with increase in zirconia content in silica. The red shift of PL emission has been exhibited with increase in zirconia content in silica.

Corrosion behaviour and chemical stability of transparent hybrid sol-gel coatings deposited on aluminium in acidic and alkaline solutions

The aim of this study was to prepare transparent hybrid sol-gel coatings to serve as a barrier for corrosion protection of aluminium. The coatings were synthesised using silicon precursors tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and organically modified silicon precursor 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MAPTMS) which were then mixed with different amounts of zirconium(IV) propoxide (ZTP) chelated using methacrylic acid (MAA). The synthesis process was followed using in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and liquid-state 1H, 13C and 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.The coating properties, such as transparency, topography, chemical composition, morphology and wettability were evaluated. Corrosion properties were analysed using electrochemical methods in ∼0.1 N NaCl in a pH range between 3 and 10. The chemical stability was evaluated in strongly alkaline solution.Homogeneous composition of the coatings was achieved through condensation reactions between Si- and Zr-based precursors. Obtained coatings were highly transparent, increased the contact water angle for polar and non-polar liquids compared to bare substrate, and improved the cleaning properties. The electrochemical measurements confirmed remarkable barrier protection in NaCl solutions of various pHs, especially for coatings with high Zr/Si ratios. In harsh media such as 0.1 N NaOH, the coating with low Zr/Si ratio was more stable. The results were interpreted in terms of different degrees of polycondensation of Si species as a function of Zr content in the coating. The importance of chemical speciation of the sol during synthesis were emphasised as this affects the subsequent coating properties.

The development of zirconia/silica hybrids for the adsorption and controlled release of active pharmaceutical ingredients

The study concerns the synthesis and application of a novel type of ZrO2-SiO2 binary oxide system. The material was prepared via a sol-gel route, using zirconium(IV) propoxide and tetraethyl orthosilicate solutions as zirconia and silica precursors, ammonia as a promoter of hydrolysis, and ethanol as a solvent. Different amounts of reactants were used to obtain samples with ZrO2:SiO2 molar ratios of 1:1, 4:1 and 1:4. The synthesized oxide materials were additionally calcined at 1000 °C to enable the formation of a crystalline structure. Both uncalcined and calcined samples were comprehensively analyzed in terms of morphology, dispersive parameters, surface composition, crystallinity, presence of characteristic functional groups, and porous structure parameters. The proposed methodology of synthesis led to ZrO2-SiO2 oxide systems with micrometric-sized particles, interesting morphology, controlled content of zirconia and silica, and relatively good porous structure parameters. The key element of the study was an evaluation of the ability of the synthesized materials to adsorb and release selected active pharmaceutical ingredients: ibuprofen and paracetamol. It was shown that sorption capacity and release ability were strongly affected by the porosity of the materials and by the quantity of surface functional groups, which were significantly different in calcined and uncalcined samples. An appropriate mechanism of interaction was proposed.

Synthesis and characterization of organozirconiums with type-II photoinitiator ligands as multifunctional photoinitiators for free radical photopolymerization

Two hydroxyl derivatives of benzophenone and anthraquinone were chosen as the ligands of zirconium complexes in the substitution of zirconium propoxide to obtain zirconium-based multifunctional photoinitiators (MPIs), ZrOBP and ZrOAQ. The MPIs were characterized in terms of molecular structures, UV absorption properties and photoinitiation ability. The absorption bands of the MPIs are similar to their low-molecular-weight counterpart with higher absorbance. These photoinitiators were used for the curing of a mixture of bisphenol A diacrylate and hexanedioldiacrylate. The kinetics of photopolymerization of the formulations was monitored by real-time FTIR spectroscopy, under the irradiation of a mercury-xenon lamp. Organozirconium complexes are known to tap the potential of overcoming the oxygen inhibition, thus the depth conversion profiles of the UV-cured films were followed by confocal Raman microscopy. Furthermore, the migration of residual photoinitiator was investigated via solvent extraction from the UV-cured film, the solution of which being measured by UV–vis spectroscopy.

Synthesis and characterization of biocompatible zirconia nanofibers based on electrospun PVP/Zr(OPr)4

Zirconia-based bioceramics are one of the most attractive class of biomaterials due to their excellent properties. In the present study, a novel approach was applied for the fabrication of PVP/Zr(OPr)4 fibers via electrospinning of a mixed solution obtained from polyvinylpyrrolidone and zirconium (IV) propoxide as the spinning aid and the zirconium source, respectively. After calcinations of the as-spun fibers at 850 °C for 2 hours, with mean diameter of 400 nm, ZrO2 nanofibers having diameters of about 98 nm could be successfully obtained in tetragonal phase and maintained their excellent fibrous morphology. The obtained materials were characterized by TGA, SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR techniques. The results indicated that the prepared materials in the form of fibers would be useful for load-bearing biomedical applications such dental composites and bone tissue engineering.

Synthesis, characterization and catalytic application of Ni catalysts supported on alumina–zirconia mixed oxides

Alumina and alumina–zirconia mixed oxides were compared as supports to prepare nickel catalysts. The oxides were prepared by the sol–gel method using aluminum tri-sec-butoxide and zirconium (IV) propoxide as precursors, and its physicochemical properties were determined by BET, TGA, DTA, XRD, SEM and TEM. The catalysts of nickel were obtained by the impregnation of the supports with nickel nitrate (10 wt%) and were heat-treated at \(700{^{\circ }}\hbox {C}\). The specific area of the supports and catalysts decreased with the increase in the zirconia content in agreement with the crystalline phase formed. TEM micrographs of nickel catalysts revealed particles in the size range of 10–30 nm. The \(\hbox {Ni/Al}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}\)–\(\hbox {ZrO}_{2}\) catalysts were tested in the steam reforming reaction of ethanol (SRE) at \(500{^{\circ }}\hbox {C}\), and the obtained results suggest that the differences in catalytic activities depended on the content of \(\hbox {ZrO}_{2}\). The selectivity towards \(\hbox {H}_{2}\) was \({\sim }56\%\) for the named catalyst Ni–Al–0.25Zr.

Binary oxide ceramics for enhanced phenols degradation under simulated Solar light

AbstractSolvothermal synthesis of ZrO2–TiO2 binary oxides and pure counterparts at 150°C in water/isopropanol media is presented. Titanium (IV) isopropoxide and zirconium (IV) propoxide were used as precursors. XRD and TEM techniques were used for structural and morphological characterization of obtained samples. XPS spectra of mixed oxide samples were compared in order to correlate composition of samples with surface properties and presence of defects. Relative positions of defect states within band‐gaps of semiconductors were estimated from UCPL spectra. UV‐Vis DRS spectra revealed that both pure oxides experienced red shift of absorption thresholds compared to reference data. Photocatalytic activities of all samples were probed under simulated Solar light on three model compounds: phenol, 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP) and 2, 4, 6‐trichlorphenol (TCP). Pure TiO2 showed the highest photocatalytic activity in the case of phenol. However, pure ZrO2 and binary oxides showed higher photoactivity in degradation of 4‐CP and TCP. The activity of wide band‐gap semiconductors under simulated Solar light in photodegradation of phenol and its derivatives is most probably the consequence of formation of charge transfer complexes between pollutant molecules and semiconductors surface.

Zirconium Propoxide: A Coupling Agent for the Synthesis of Multifunctional Photoinitiators

AbstractA commercial photoinitiator, 2‐hydroxy‐2‐methylpropiophenone (PI‐1173), was employed to synthesize a novel multifunctional photoinitiator (MPI) via ligand substitution of zirconium propoxide in the absence of any catalyst. With different feed ratios of the reactant, trifunctional and tetrafunctional zirconium‐based photoinitiators were obtained. The photoinitiation properties of the MPIs were evaluated by real‐time FTIR of the UV‐curing formulation, which shows that the photoinitiation ability of MPIs were comparable to PI‐1173. Three different levels of final conversion were achieved with varied concentrations of MPIs. The residual‐free PIs in cured samples were also measured by extraction of chloromethane. The results showed that the multifunctional structures of MPIs are more immobilized in the cross‐linked networks than the parent molecule.

Sol-Gel PMMA-ZrO2 Hybrid Layers as Gate Dielectric for Low-Temperature ZnO-Based Thin-Film Transistors.

We report a simple sol–gel process for the deposition of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)–ZrO2 organic–inorganic hybrid films at low temperature and studied their properties as a function of the molar ratios of the precursors in the hybrid sol–gel solution, which included zirconium propoxide as the inorganic (zirconia) source, methyl methacrylate as the organic source, and 3-trimethoxy-silyl-propyl-methacrylate (TMSPM) as the coupling agent to enhance the compatibility between the organic and inorganic phases. The hybrid thin-film deposition was done on glass slide substrates by the dip-coating method. After deposition, the films were heat-treated at 100 °C for 24 h. The analysis of the hybrid films included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to identify their chemical groups and thermogravimetric analysis to determine the content of their organic and inorganic components. In addition, capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current–voltage (I–V) curves in metal–insulator–metal structures, using gold as metal contacts, were measured to find the dielectric constant and leakage current of the PMMA–ZrO2 hybrid films. Finally, because of their adequate dielectric characteristics, single hybrid layers were deposited on indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates and were tested as gate dielectric in thin-film transistors (TFTs), using sputtered ZnO layers as the semiconductor active channel. We measured the output electrical response and transfer characteristics of these hybrid dielectric gate-based devices and determined their main electrical parameters as a function of the TMSPM content in the hybrid dielectric gate layer. The better TFT electrical behavior presents field effect mobility of 0.48 cm2/V s, low threshold voltage of 3.3 V, and on/off current ratio of 105, and it was obtained by using PMMA–ZrO2 with 0.3 TMSPM content as the gate dielectric layer. The values obtained for the electrical parameters show that PMMA–ZrO2 hybrid films are quite suitable for dielectric gate applications in TFTs