Filler-elastomer interactions. 8. Influence of fluorinated nanoscaled silicas on mechanical interfacial properties and thermal stabilities of polyurethane matrix composites

The effect of fluorination of nanoscaled silicas on mechanical interfacial properties and thermal stabilities of the silica/polyurethane composites was investigated. The surface properties of the silica were studied in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Their mechanical interfacial properties and thermal stabilities of the composites were characterized by tearing energy and decomposition activation energy, respectively. As experimental results, the London dispersive component of surface free energy and fluorine functional groups of silica surfaces were increased as a function of fluorination temperature resulting in improving the tearing energy (G_IIIC) of the composites. Also, the thermal stabilities of the composites were increased as the treatment temperature increases. These results could be explained that the fluorine functional groups on silica surfaces played an important role in improving the intermolecular interactions at interfaces between silicas and polyurethane matrix in a composite system.