| Abstract: | Silica is a common component in silicone elastomer formulation. Silica is known to have surface hydroxyl groups and the reactions and interactions of these surface groups with various materials have been studied extensively in the past. It is believed that the iron octoate used to combat oxidative embrittlement in silicone elastomer formulations may also react with the surface of silica, specifically fumed silica. Dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Electron Scanning for Chemical Analysis (ESCA), and Gel Permeation Chromatogrphy (GPC) were used to study the influence of untreated fumed silica and silica treated with dimethylsiloxane species on the iron octoate reaction. The rate of reaction was studied as a function of loading of silica. From analyzing rates of backbone scission and salt consumption, it is found that the iron octoate reacts preferentially with the surface of untreated fumed silica. Conversely, iron octoate appears to have no preferential reaction with the surface of the treated fumed silica. |
