Interphase Formation in Polymer/Inorganic Composites Using Silane Coupling Agents

Abstract

For the inorganic particle-filled vulcanized rubber, the improvement of interfacial adhesion is expected by the formation of three-dimensional interphase rather than the simple mono-layered adhesion using silane coupling agents (SCA). There are di- and tri-alkoxy type SCAs. In the case of multi-layered coverage using these SCAs, they form hair-like and network structures, respectively. Better reinforcement effect was obtained by the hair-like structure, because interphase with well entangled SCA chains and matrix rubber network was formed. More superior interphase was achieved by the SCA chains with loose network. The formation of interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) by SCA and matrix rubber networks was expected. SCA was added by both the pre-treatment of particles and the integral blend in which all components were mixed simultaneously. As a result, the reinforcement effect was higher in the integral blend method. It was suitable for the formation of well entangled IPN with SCA and rubber matrix networks.