• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.147-156
• /
• 2008

In this work, epoxy/carboxyl-terminated butadiene acrylonitirile (EP/CTBN) composites were prepared by employing a reinforcing filler, silica treated with silane coupling agent in different ratio by dry and wet method. Their curing characteristics, surface free energy, interface morphologies and mechanical properties such as tensile strength and impact resistance were carefully investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) results showed that curing temperature was lowered with the increase of silane coupling agent because of the increase of relative curing agent cotent by filling the pores of silica. Wet method was proved to be more effective for lowering curing temperature of EP/CTBN composite. In general, surface free energy and impact resistance were increased with the increase of silane coupling agent in this work. Tensile strength, however, was observed to be decreased at 4 wt% of silane coupling agent. It was found that the dry method was proved to be preferable for pretreatment of silica with coupling agent.