Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.230, No.2, 432-440, 2000
H2O outgassing properties of fumed and precipitated silica particles by temperature-programmed desorption
Temperature-programmed desorption was performed at temperatures up to 850 K on as-received fumed and precipitated silica particles. Physisorbed water molecules on both types of silica had activation energies in the range of 38-61 kJ/mol. However, the activation energies of desorption for chemisorbed water varied from similar to 80 to >247 kJ/mol for fumed silica, Cab-O-Sil-M-7D, and similar to 96 to 155 kJ/mol for precipitated silica, Hi-Sil-233. Our results suggest that physisorbed water can be effectively pumped away at room temperature (or preferably at 320 K) in a matter of hours. Chemisorbed water with high activation energies of desorption (>126 kJ/mol) will not escape silica surfaces in 100 years even at 320 K, while a significant amount of the chemisorbed water with medium activation energies (80-109 kJ/mol) will leave the silica surfaces in that time span. Most of the chemisorbed water with activation energies <126 kJ/mol can be pumped away in a matter of days in a good vacuum environment at 500 K. We had previously measured about 0.1-0.4 wt% of water in silica-reinforced polysiloxane formulations containing 21% Cab-O-Sil-M-7D and similar to4% Hi-Sil-233. Comparing present results with these formulations, we conclude that the adsorbed H2O and the Si-OH bonds on the silica surfaces are the major contributors to water outgassing from these types of silica-filled polymers,