Nanocrystalline Mg(OH)(2) was synthesized using four different methods and the crystallite size was calculated from X-ray powder diffraction patterns. For the stabilization of the particles in polymer dispersions, two different surface modifiers were used [poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane]. IR spectroscopy measurements show that the surface of the particles is covered with the surface modifiers rendering the particles dispersable in monomer solutions such as butanediol monoacrylate. The dispersions were polymerized into films of 100 mu m thickness by addition of a UV initiator (2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide, Lucirin TPO) and a crosslinking agent (trimethylolpropanetriacrylate, Laromer TMPTA) between two glass plates by UV-polymerization. The resulting films were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and scratch resistance tests. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 2197-2204, 2010