| Abstract: | A new analytical method has been employed to determine values for the surface-energy properties, such as the solid/vapor surface energy and the equilibrium work of adhesion, of several polychloroprene compositions filled with organosilane-treated wollastonite fillers. The equilibrium work of adhesion, which represents the amount of energy stored in the interface formed between polymer and filler, has been used as a key material parameter to correlate changes in the mechanical and rheological properties of wollastonite-filled polychloroprene compositions. Experimental results show that some properties such as tear strength, tensile modulus, shear viscosity, and compression set, which depend on polymer-filler adhesion to varying degrees, increase as the equilibrium work of adhesion increases. On the other hand, properties such as tensile strength and ultimate elongation, which largely depend on the degree of mixing of filler particles and such defect structures as microvoids, decrease with the increase of the equilibrium work of adhesion. A power-law relationship between the tensile modulus and the equilibrium work of adhesion has also been established. This relationship can be used for selecting organosilane-treated fillers in order to achieve optimum properties. |
