Effect Of Silane Coupling Agent Research Articles

Effect of silane coupling agent modified zeolite warm mix additives on properties of asphalt

In order to evaluate the influence of silane coupling agent modified zeolite warm mix additives on the properties of asphalt, the physical and rheological properties as well as chemical structure of asphalt with zeolite, γ-ammoniapropyltriethoxysilane modified zeolite (KH550-zeolite) and γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane modified zeolite (KH560-zeolite) before and after thin film oven test (TFOT) aging were thoroughly investigated. The results showed that, compared with zeolite, KH550-zeolite and KH560-zeolite made the softening point of asphalt increase more, and whose penetration and ductility decrease less, which indicated that KH550-zeolite and KH560-zeolite (especially KH560-zeolite) could enhance the high-temperature properties and had less effect on the penetration and ductility of asphalt. The temperature susceptibility of asphalt was clearly reduced and the rutting factor (G*/sinδ) was enhanced after the introduction of silane coupling agent modified zeolites compared with zeolite. After the TFOT aging, the performance of asphalt with silane coupling agent modified zeolites (especially KH560-zeolite) had a little change. In a word, KH550-zeolite and KH560-zeolite as warm mix additives had a positive effect on the physical, rheological and anti-aging properties of asphalt.

The physico-mechanical properties of γ-irradiated ethylene propylene diene rubber/high styrene butadiene rubber nanocomposites

The mechanical properties of γ-irradiated ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)/high styrene-butadiene rubber (HSBR) blends were investigated with special reference to the effects of blend ratio. Among the blends, the one with 80/20 EPDM/HSBR has been found to exhibit the highest tensile, hardness, thermal, and abrasion properties. The effect of γ-irradiation dose on the mechanical properties namely tensile strength and elongation at break was investigated. The effect of silane coupling agent on the mentioned properties of the EPDM/HSBR blend was studied. The results showed that the mechanical and the thermal properties of the γ-irradiated EPDM/HSBR blend improved with the addition of the silane coupling agent due to the increase in the cross-linking density. The inclusion of both the 30 phr fumed silica and N, N- m-phenylenedimaleimide coagent in the 80/20 EPDM/HSBR nanocomposite irradiated to 150 kGy leads to a synergistic effect. Thermogravimetric analysis was carried out to analyze the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. The mechanical properties have been interpreted in terms of the morphology of the blends as attested by scanning electron microscope.

Effects of Silane Coupling Agents on the Adhesion Strength of a Printed Cu Circuit on Polyimide

It is difficult to maintain high adhesion strength between a printed metal circuit and polymer substrate due to the weak chemical bonding of metal and organic materials. Therefore, an additional process is necessary to improve the adhesion strength. Silane coupling agents (SCAs), which are capable of forming bonds with metals and organic materials, can provide a solution. Here, SCAs were placed on polyimide (PI) substrates and coated with various functional groups to compare the effects of various functionalized SCAs on the adhesion strength between a screen-printed copper (Cu) circuit and the PI substrate, where the printed Cu patterns were fabricated on the coated PI substrate. Chemical bonding between the coated silane coupling agent and the PI substrate interface was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The adhesion strength of the screen-printed Cu circuit and PI substrate interface was measured by a roll-type 90° peel test. The surface free energy was calculated using the contact angle. The failure mode was analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The silane coupling agent containing an amine functional group significantly improved the adhesion strength because it facilitates a superior bond between organic substrates and metals via chemical reactions such as copolymerization and graft copolymerization. As a result, the adhesion strength between the printed Cu pattern and PI increased about 4.26 times with the use of SCAs.

Effects of silane coupling agent modified coal waste powder on performance of asphalt mortar and asphalt mixture

In view of the disadvantage that coal waste powder(CWP) can reduce the crack resistance of asphalt mortar at low temperature, silane coupling agent KH-550 was used to modify coal waste powder. The surface characteristics and modification mechanism of silane coupling agent modified coal waste powder were characterized by using Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). Five kinds of silane coupling agent modified coal waste powder asphalt mortar with content 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and limestone(LS) powder asphalt mortar were prepared under different filler-asphalt ratios, respectively. The effects and mechanism of silane coupling agent modified coal waste powder on the pavement performance of asphalt mortar and asphalt mixture was studied by the dynamic shear rheological test(DSR), low temperature bending beam rheological test (BBR), Brookfield viscosity test, adhesion test, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), rutting test, bending test at low temperature, immersion Marshall test and freeze-thaw split test. The results showed that the optimal proportion of KH-550 is 1.5% of CWP mass and CWP modified by silane coupling agent can greatly enhance high temperature performance, low temperature performance and adhesion of the asphalt mortar. Furthermore, CWP modified by silane coupling agent can significantly improve rutting resistance, low temperature crack resistance and water damage resistance of asphalt mixture.

A comparative investigation on different silane coupling agents modified sericite mica/polyimide composites prepared by in situ polymerization

To make clear the effect and mechanism of sericite mica (SM) modified by silane coupling agents (SCA) on the morphology and properties of polyimide (PI) composites, the SM modified by different SCA including 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550), 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH560) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), respectively, with equal grafting rate was prepared and used to prepare a series of PI/SM composites with the same SM content (5.0 wt%) by in situ polymerization. The effects of different SCA on the structure and properties of PI composites were studied by means of FT-IR, XRD, SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, TGA, tensile and dielectric tests, and their influence mechanism was analyzed. The results showed two-phase interfacial adhesion between KH550-SM and PI matrix was the strongest. PI/KH550-SM composite exhibited the best excellent thermal and mechanical properties, the lowest dielectric constant and loss. The investigation would be of great value for improving the interfacial effects between SM and PI matrix and developing PI composites in relevant application areas.

Effect of glass aggregates and coupling agent on the mechanical behaviour of polymeric glass composite

This study is the second in a series of papers on synthesizing polymeric glass composite (PGC) panels (Heriyanto, 2018) from mixed, contaminated and broken glasses that are not being recycled at present. The first series of the paper covered the composite production from powder glass, resin and coupling agent as well as investigated the mechanical properties of the powder-resin composite. In Part II, the study aims to incorporate glass aggregates as structural filler and decorative element. The lower surface area of glass aggregates compared to glass powder filler maximizes the waste glass input from 80 to 85–90% and minimize the resin used by 5–10%. Following similar process in previous study, the panel in this study was made by mixing waste glass filler and resin to a dough-like consistency, followed by hot-pressing the mixture at 550 Bar at 70 °C. The ratio of glass powder (GP), glass aggregates and resin are 50–55/35/15–10 respectively. The amount of glass aggregate was kept constant at 35% relative to the total weight, replicating a gap graded composite system in concrete where the intermediate size of aggregate is missing. Three different sizes of glass aggregates were used, ranging from 1 to 2, 2–4 and 4–6 mm, and their effect on the mechanical properties were reported in this study. The strength of the composites was inversely linear with the glass aggregate size. Small aggregate panels have higher strength compared to that with larger aggregates. Particle-resin interaction, continual interfacial region, and aggregate size were found to determine the average strength of the final composite panels. Effect of silane coupling agent (CA) was also reported. The CA helps to modify the glass surface and improve its wettability with the resin binder. The flexural and compression strength, as well as the water-resistant behaviour, were found to improve nearly double with 2% of CA addition. By using scanning electron microscope (SEM), rough surface and cracks was observed to occur at the fracture surface of the untreated panel, while massive shear deformation were found when silane were added. Except for fire-retardancy, most of the physical and mechanical performances of the silane-treated panels were found to offer equal or if not, superior performance compared to that of natural stones. These new approaches of using waste glass in resin-based composites can be a new alternative to produce green materials that deliver economic and environmental benefits.

Effect of silane coupling agents on properties and performance of polycarbonate/silica MMMs

The choice of amine terminated silanes remain scarce although they have been used as coupling agents to enhance silica dispersion and interaction in polymer matrix. Functionalized silica particles were synthesized by co-condensing tetraethyl-orthosilicate with four types of silane agents in sol-gel process. These particles were characterized and incorporated into polycarbonate polymer matrix. The morphology, structure, thermal stability, mechanical strength and gas (N2, CH4, CO2) permeation properties of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were characterized by standard techniques. The functionalized silica particles were of various particle sizes and extent of functionalization. PC/Silica MMM produced by incorporating functionalized silica particles using (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane exhibited better morphology. The corresponding MMM performance has improved (αCO2/N2 = 42.8 and αCO2/CH4 = 38) as compared to pure PC membrane (αCO2/N2 = 20.30 and αCO2/CH4 = 18.5) and other MMMs. Thus, low molecular weight single amine terminated silane agents are potential candidates for the development of PC/silica MMMs.

Exploring the comparative effect of silane coupling agents with different functional groups on the cure, mechanical and thermal properties of nano-alumina (Al2O3)-based natural rubber (NR) compounds

The surface of sol–gel-synthesized nano-alumina (Al2O3) was modified by three types of silane coupling agents with different specific functionalities, namely 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), triethoxy(octyl)silane (OCTEOS) and bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide (TESPT). The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of both unmodified and surface-modified nano-Al2O3 on the cure characteristics, mechanical properties, cross-link density and thermal stability of natural rubber (NR) nanocomposites. Results revealed that silane coupling agents were very effective to enhance maximum rheometric torque (R∞) and mechanical properties like modulus and tensile strength of nano-Al2O3-based NR nanocomposites. APTES offered higher value of cure rate index for NR compounds as compared to two other silane coupling agents. Among three silane coupling agents, TESPT provided highest improvement in the mechanical properties of NR/nano-Al2O3 composites. This might be explained by considering excellent improvement in the cross-link density of NR compounds in the presence of TESPT-treated nano-Al2O3. The incorporation of both TESPT- and OCTEOS-modified nano-Al2O3 into the NR matrix markedly improved the thermal stability of NR composites. Moreover, bi-functional silane TESPT not only increased the hydrophobicity of nano-Al2O3, but also improved the probability of sulfur cross-linking during cure process of NR compounds.

Effect of silane coupling agent on composite-composite bond strength: an in vitro study

Objective: To investigate the effect of silane coupling agent on composite-composite bond strength, and to provide experimental basis for improving composite-composite bond strength clinically. Methods: Self-etching adhesive Clearfil SE Bond (CSE) and silane-containing universal adhesive Single Bond Universal (SBU) were used as adhesives. A silane coupling agent (RelyX ceramic primer) was tested. P60 resin composite blocks were prepared and divided into 4 groups according to whether silane coupling agent was applied or the type of the adhesives: CSE group, in which CSE was applied as an adhesive; Silane + CSE group, in which the surface was treated with silane coupling agent followed by CSE; SBU group, in which SBU was applied as an adhesive; Silane+ SBU group, in which the surface was treated with silane coupling agent followed by SBU, then filling a new composite. All the composite blocks were cut into about twenty 1 mm×1 mm×14 mm samples to detect the micro-tensile bond strength. Fractographic analysis were performed under a three-dimensional laser scanning microscope. The micro-tensile bond strength data were analyzed statistically by one-way ANOVA and the failure pattern data were analyzed statistically by Chi-square test. Results: Silane + SBU group [(69.6 ± 3.3) MPa] showed a significantly higher micro-tensile bond strength than the other groups (P<0.05). Silane+CSE group showed a significantly higher micro-tensile bond strength [(63.9±3.7) MPa] than CSE group [(55.7±4.2) MPa] and SBU group [(55.4±4.0) MPa] (P<0.05); There was no significant difference in micro-tensile bond strength between the SBU group and the CSE group (P>0.05). Failure patterns in the 4 groups were adhesive failure, cohesive failure and mixed failure. There was no significant difference in the proportion of adhesive failure between the Silane+CSE group and the Silane+SBU group, and the proportion of adhesive failure in these two groups were significantly less than that in the CSE and the SBU group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Silane coupling agent pretreatment could improve composite-composite bond strength, however, the bond strength could not be higher when silane was mixed with adhesives in one bottle.

The effects of silane coupling agents on the mechanical properties of basalt fiber reinforced poly(butylene terephthalate) composites

Abstract In the current study, the effects of three different silane coupling agents, namely (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (AP), (3-Glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GP) and (3-trimethoxysilyl) propylmethacrylate (MA) are investigated on the mechanical properties of the basalt fiber (BF) reinforced poly (butyleneterefthalate) (PBT) composites. The tensile, flexural, impact, thermomechanical and morphological properties of the composites are investigated. According to the test results, the remarkable increase in tensile strenght and elastic modulus is observed, whereas slight improvement in flexural strenght and no change in impact properties is observed. According to flexural strength and elastic modulus values, the effectiveness of the silane coupling agents can be ranked as follow: GP > AP > MA. It is clearly shown that the increase in mechanical properties arises from improvement in interfacial adhesion between BF and PBT. It is concluded that the covalent bond formation causes the highest improvement in mechanical properties including tensile and flexural strenght and elastic modulus.

Effect of silane coupling agent on improving the adhesive properties between asphalt binder and aggregates

Moisture damage negatively affects the pavement service life. A typical way to delay the moisture damage is to improve the adhesion between asphalt binder and aggregates. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of silane coupling agent (SCA) on improving the adhesion between asphalt binder and aggregates. In this paper, the contact angles of the aggregates modified by different SCA hydrolysates were measured. The adhesion energy and stripping energy between asphalt binder and aggregates modified by different SCA hydrolysates were calculated. Secondly, the tensile strengths between asphalt binder and aggregates before and after immersion in water were measured. Lastly, the interfacial interactions between SCA and the aggregates were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The surface energy results prove that the SCA can significantly improve the adhesion energy and stripping energy between the aggregates and the asphalt binder. The tensile test results show that the tensile strength of the aggregates modified with a type of SCA (KH550) hydrolysate before immersion in water was increased by 58%, and the tensile strength after the immersion in water was increased by 155%. Based upon these results, it can be concluded that using SCA has a superior effect on improving adhesive properties between asphalt binder and aggregates.

Evaluation of the Effects of Silane Coupling Agents for Dispersion and Packing in a Soft Magnetic Composite

Evaluation of the Effects of Silane Coupling Agents for Dispersion and Packing in a Soft Magnetic Composite

Fabrication and characterization of polysiloxane/polyacrylate composite latexes with balanced water vapor permeability and mechanical properties: effect of silane coupling agent

In order to improve the water vapor permeability and mechanical properties of latex films, polysiloxane/polyacrylate (PSi/PA) composite latexes were fabricated via seeded emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate onto PSi latex particles, and the effects of the silane coupling agent 3-methacryloyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MATS) on the morphologies of the latex particles and films, as well as the microphase separation degree, the water vapor permeability and the mechanical properties of the latex films were investigated. Results indicated that MATS was essential for obtaining the PSi/PA composite latex particles with PSi as core and PA as shell and made a great contribution to restrict the phase separation. The PSi/PA core/shell latex films showed similar tensile strength and elongation with pure PA film, while exhibiting promising water vapor permeability. It was found that the influences of MATS content on the water vapor permeability and mechanical properties were opposite, and on the premise of the requirements for mechanical properties, lower MATS content could provide the PSi/PA core/shell latex films with better water vapor permeability.

Effect of Silane Coupling Agent on Tribological Properties of Hemp Fiber-Reinforced Plant-Derived Polyamide 1010 Biomass Composites.

We have studied the effects of silane coupling agents used for the surface treatment of fiber on the tribological properties of hemp fiber (HF) reinforced plant-derived polyamide 1010 (PA1010) biomass composites. Hemp fibers were surface-treated by two surface treatment methods: (a) alkali treatment by sodium hydroxide solution and (b) surface treatment by silane coupling agents. Three types of silane coupling agents, namely aminosilane, epoxysilane and ureidosilane were used. These HF/PA1010 biomass composites were extruded using a twin extruder, and injection-molded. The mechanical and tribological properties were evaluated by the ring-on-plate type sliding wear test. It was found that tribological properties of HF/PA1010 biomass composites improved with the surface treatment by the silane coupling agent. This may be attributed to the change in the mode of friction and wear mechanism by the interfacial adhesion between fiber and matrix polymer according to the type of silane coupling agent used. In particular, the ureidosilane coupling agent showed the best improvement effect for the tribological properties of these biomass composites in this study.

실리카/폴리프로필렌 복합재료의 기계적 및 열적 물성에 미치는 실란 커플링제의 영향

실란 커플링제 도입에 따라 silica가 충전된 폴리프로필렌의 기계적, 열적 물성에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. Epoxy, amino와 methacryloxy 작용기를 가지고 있는 실란 커플링제를 사용하였다. 종류, 농도와 실란 커플링제의 처리방법에 따라 silica/PP 복합체의 인장강도, 굴곡강도, 충격강도 및 열적안정성을 분석하였다. 용융혼합 및 압축성형에 의해 제조된 복합재료 샘플의 기계적 특성을 조사하기 위해 만능재료시험기와 충격시험기를 사용하였고, 열적특성을 조사하기 위해, TGA와 DSC를 사용하였다. 건식방법으로 amino 작용기를 가지고 있는 실란 커플링제를 5 wt% 혼합한 silica/PP 복합체가 기계적 물성과 열적 물성이 가장 우수한 것으로 확인되었다.

The Effect of Silane Coupling Agent on the Properties of Natural Rubber Filled with Waste Silicon Carbide

The effect of a silane coupling on curing characteristics, mechanical properties, abrasion behavior and swelling behavior of waste silicon carbide filled natural rubber compounds was investigated in the concentration 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% by weight of the particles. The waste silicon carbide content in this study was fixed at 30 phr in order to reveal the influence of silane-69 used to modify silicon carbide. The rubber compounds were prepared using a laboratory two roll mill with temperature maintained at 50°C. The curing characteristics of the composites were determined and the composites were vulcanized at 160°C using a hot press. The properties of the natural rubber compounds such as modulus at 200% elongation, stress at peak, hardness, abrasion resistance and swelling behavior were studied. Results indicate that the maximum torque of the natural rubber compounds increased with increasing silane-69 content whereas the silane-69 can be used without much effect on the scorch time and cure time. Increasing silane-69 content also gives natural rubber compounds better resistance towards swelling and increases the modulus at 200% elongation, tensile strength, hardness and abrasion resistance. The dispersion morphology of silicon carbide in the natural rubber composites was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The modified particles with improved interfacial adhesion between waste silicon carbide and natural rubber. Improvement in mechanical properties of the composites was obtained.

Coconut shell powder reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane/natural rubber blend-composites: effect of silane coupling agents on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites

The objective of this work is to modify coconut shell powder (CSP) using various silane coupling agents and to study the effect of modification on the interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties of the fillers in the binary blend of thermoplastic polyurethane and natural rubber. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tear strength, hardness and abrasion resistance were evaluated. Results revealed that, compared to triethoxyvinylsilane modified CSP composites, glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane treated CSP showed higher tensile strength and better interfacial adhesion with the matrix. The efficiency of the silane treatment is further characterized by the FT-IR analysis of fillers and the morphological study of both the CSP and the composites. FT-IR studies demonstrated that the silyl parts of both silane coupling agents efficiently grafted to the CSP. SEM images of treated CSPs provide ample evidence for the increased mechanical properties of the composites. The increased thermal stability of is evident from the thermo gravimetric analysis.

Thermal stability and physical properties of epoxy composite reinforced with silane treated basalt fiber

This study evaluates the influence of different silane coupling agents on the thermal and physical properties of epoxy-anhydride composite reinforced with basalt fiber. The silane coupling agents were selected by their functional groups so that they could have different chemical interactions with the epoxy and anhydride curing agents. The thermal and degradation behavior of the composites with different fiber contents were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Through the evaluation of Tg and thermal degradation behavior of both systems, it was deduced that the silane coupling agents have a great influence on the thermal properties of the composites as well as interfacial improvement. Also, the tensile properties of the composites were systematically evaluated in order to further understand the effect of silane coupling agents on the interaction with basalt fiber and epoxy matrix.

The role of compatibility between polymeric matrix and silane coupling agents on the performance of mixed matrix membranes: Polyethersulfone/MCM-41

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) composed of polyethersulfone (PES) and MCM-41 mesoporous silicas were fabricated by solution casting method. To investigate the effect of silane coupling agents on gas separation properties, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) were separately used for modifying the surface of particles. The prepared membranes were characterized by FT-IR, SEM-EDX, XRD, TGA and stress-strain tests. Moreover, ideal permeabilities of CH4, N2, O2 and CO2 through the MMMs were precisely measured. Regardless of the type of particles, the incorporation of MCM-41 into polymer matrix increased the gas permeability of the MMMs compared to neat PES. Adding unmodified particles into a rigid PES matrix led to non-ideal effects such as formation of interfacial nonselective voids. These voids caused a decrease in thermal stability, Young's modulus and gas selectivity, especially at high loadings. On the contrary, the APTMS-modified MCM-41 with polar N-H groups and long side chains had a good compatibility with PES matrix which facilitated the fabrication of defect free membranes with higher thermal and mechanical strength and unique gas separation performance by 250% and 40% increment in CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity respectively. However, the TMCS nonpolar groups did not interact with the PES as strong as APTMS while the TMCS silylation could hamper the particle-particle attraction by replacing hydroxyl groups.

Mechanical interfacial adhesion of carbon fibers-reinforced polarized-polypropylene matrix composites: effects of silane coupling agents

Thermoplastic composites are used in a variety of applications such as mass transit, auto-motive parts, and military structures [1-6]. Their appeal compared to conventional materials such as aluminum, steel, and thermoset composites for these applications lies in their high specific strength, corrosion resistance, superior impact resistance, high toughness, and ease of recycling [1-7].In recent years, carbon fibers (CF) have been widely used as reinforcing materials in high performance composites. CF present several advantages, including high modulus and strength, good stiffness, and creep resistance [8-10]. Despite these advantages, the CF/ther-moplastic composites have unsatisfactory mechanical properties because CF have poor in-terfacial adhesion with most thermoplastic polymers due to their non-polar surface.The interfacial adhesion between reinforcing fibers and polymer matrices in composites is the controlling factor in obtaining optimum mechanical properties of composites [11-13]. To achieve good interfacial adhesion between CF and thermoplastic matrices, it is necessary to increase the surface polarity. In this light, increasing the surface polarity for van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding can improve the interfacial adhesion. In efforts to increase the surface polarity of CF, various surface treatment techniques have been applied, including plasma treatment, anodic oxidation, metal plating, and cou-pling treatment [14,15]. Among the various treatments, coupling treatment is known to be a very effective method for improving the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the thermoplastic matrices [16].The role of coupling agents in improving the interfacial adhesion between polymers and inorganic surfaces has been widely documented [17,18]. However, the effects of different coupling agents on interfacial adhesion between CF and polar-modified thermoplastic matri-ces have yet to be explicitly identified. Therefore, the first objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of sizing treatments by silane-based coupling agents on the interfacial adhesion properties between the fibers and the thermoplastic matrix. Another objective is to investigate the effects of the presence of surface functional groups containing silane-oxygen groups on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene.The CF used in this work were polyacrylonitrile based high strength fibers, T-700SC-13000 (12K unidirectional fabric; Toray, Tokyo, Japan). The average diameter of these CF was around 7 μm. A highly polarized polypropylene sheet prepared by maleic anhydride grafting (Homan Petrochemical Co, Seoul, Korea) was used as a matrix. The reagents used for the coupling treatments were vinyltriethoxy silane (VTES), 3-ami-no propyl triethoxy silane (APS), and 3-methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (MPTS; Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), denoted as VTES, APS, and MPTS, respectively. The acid and silane treatments of the CF were carried out by the following procedure. For the acid