"Effect of inorganic oxide fillers on mechanical properties and flame retardancy of silicone rubber foam"

Abstract

A series of silicone rubber foam composites were prepared by using copper oxide, titanium dioxide, and kaolin as inorganic reinforcing fillers, respectively incorporated with hydroxyl, vinyl, and hydrogen containing silicone oil under the cata-lysis of platinum at room temperature through hydrosilylation and hydrosilylation dehydrogenation reactions. The effects of inorganic filler types on the micromorphology, mechanical properties and flame retardancy of silicone rubber foam composites, as well as the relationship between foam pore structure and mechanical properties and flame retardancy, were investigated. The results showed that kaolin filler could be better dispersed in silicone rubber foam materials, leading to significant enhancements of the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of the composites, with a significant decreased in total heat and smoke production. Compared with blank silicone rubber foam, the tensile strength, elongation at break, compressive strength, limiting oxygen index and UL 94 grade of the silicone rubber foam composite containing kaolin were increased to 106.1 kPa, 42.3%, 35.2 kPa, 32.7%, and V-0, respectively. The total heat and smoke production decreased by 51.1% and 84.2%, respectively.

Keywords

• silicone rubber foam， inorganic oxide， filler， reinforcement， mechanical property， flame retardancy， micromorphology，