Epoxyorganosilane Finishing Compositions for Fibrous Fillers of Thermosetting and Thermoplastic Binders

Abstract

The development of universal finishing compositions for fibers of various natures is an urgent task for polymer composite materials science. The developed finishes can be used for the fiber reinforcement of polymer matrices with a wide range of surface free energy characteristics. Epoxy systems modified with diaminesilane in a wide concentration range were examined by optical interferometry, FTIR spectroscopy, DSC and the sessile drop technique. It was shown that the partial curing of epoxy resin by diaminesilane at room temperature under an inert atmosphere, followed by contact with air, leads to a significant increase of the surface free energy of the system. Varying the concentration of diaminesilane allows us to effectively regulate the surface free energy of the composition. This makes it possible to use fibers finished with epoxyaminosilane compositions in composite materials based on a various thermosetting and thermoplastic binders with a surface tension of up to 75 mJ/m2.