Abstract
AbstractSeveral novel fillers, specifically silica‐titania, silica‐zirconia and silica‐alumina mixed oxides, have been successfully precipitated into poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) networks using a sol‐gel approach. The resulting filled networks were found to have very good mechanical properties. In comparison with networks filled only with silica, these materials had good extensibilities as well as high strengths. Filler particle diameters were generally several hundred Angstroms, but were found to decrease with increase in crosslink density of the networks. The distributions of particle size were relatively narrow, and there was very little particle aggregation. The presence of in situ silica‐titania and silicazirconia mixed oxides can also increase the onset temperature for degradation of the PDMS. Swelling equilibrium measurements indicated good bonding between these mixed‐oxide fillers and the PDMS. The presence of the PDMS was found to shorten gelation times in these systems, and to improve the impact strengths of the composites.
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