Studies on Solid-State NMR and Surface Energetics of Silicas for Improving Filler-Elastomer Interactions in Nanocomposites

In the rubber industry, silicas are open used to impart specific properties to rubber compounds. It is well known that the fillers-filled rubber composites have multiphase systems depending on the mobility of rubber molecules, which influence the reinforcement of the composites. In this chapter, we will study the changes of surface chemical structures of silicas by various surface treatments, such as thermal treatment, siliane coupling method, and direct fluorination. And the solid state NMR will be applied in order to reveal the relation between surface functional groups and surface dynamics of silicas in the elastomer matrix nanocomposite system.