Mechanical and Surface Properties of Silicon Rubber/ PTFE /Fumed silica Nanocomposites

Silicone elastomers cover a large group of materials in which vinyl-methyl-silicone is often the central ingredient. The strong silicon-oxygen chemical structure of silicone gives the elastomer its unique performance properties, including biocompatibility, superior temperature and chemical resistance, good electrical properties, and oxidation resistance [1-2].Their resistance to moisture makes them good for outdoor applications. However, silicone rubber has relatively low abrasion resistance, and therefore, is generally not suited to dynamic applications. The use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a reinforcing additive could be expected to effectively improve the abrasion resistance of silicone elastomers.PTFE is distinguished by its complete resistance to attack by virtually all chemicals and by its slippery surface. It maintains its physical properties over a large temperature range from -270 to 3800C. These properties make it especially useful for components that must operate under harsh chemical conditions and at temperature extremes. Because of incompatibility of silicon rubber and PTFE, the mechanical properties of prepared composites were not improved considerably. To solve this problem we used fumed silica as nanofiller to improve the mechanical properties. We also investigated the effects of fumed silica on the surface properties like contact angle of prepared nanocomposites. In this study, silicon rubber/PTFE/fumed silica nanocomposites had been prepared using PTFE and fumed silica as reinforcements with silicon rubber as matrices. The prepared specimens were subjected to surface and mechanical tests