Clay modification with silane compounds and characterization of the silicone rubber/clay composites

Abstract

Abstract Na+ montmorillonite (MMT) was modified with benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride (B13) and further with (3-mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane and vinyltrimethoxysilane to prepare B13-MMT, mercaptomethylorthosilicate modified MMT (MTMO), and vinyltrimethoxysilane modified MMT (VTMO), respectively. The pristine and modified clays were compounded with an HTV-type silicone rubber (GP-30®), and the physical properties and morphology of the resulting rubber composites were examined. Both HTV/MTMO and HTV/VTMO exhibited an intercalated/exfoliated coexisting morphology, but the degree of exfoliation of the former composite was higher than that of the latter. Moreover, the thermal stability, as assessed by the onset temperature of thermal degradation, as well as the tensile stress, elongation at the break, and tear strength of HTV/MTMO was higher than those of HTV/B13-MMT and HTV/VTMO. However, the cross-linking density of HTV/MTMO was the lowest among the composites examined because the thiol groups of MTMO extinguished and abstracted the radicals formed by the curing agent. Accordingly, the improved mechanical and thermal properties of HTV/MTMO were attributed to the enhanced interactions between HTV and MTMO due to the chemical reaction between the thiol groups of MTMO and the vinyl groups of HTV.