Polymer Bulletin, Vol.66, No.1, 77-94, 2011
Effect of a formulation named "Giral" on mechanical properties of a composite based on silica and unsaturated polyester resin
To improve the performances of a composite based on silica and unsaturated polyester resin, modification of silica surface and addition of a dispersing agent are required. The surface of raw silica was modified with vinyltri-methoxysilane in acidic conditions, adding methacrylic acid. Moreover, to enhance the compatibility between silica and polyester resin, a block copolymer which reacts as a dispersing agent was added. The mixture of these components is named "Giral." The mechanism of interaction of the different components of the "Giral" with the raw silica is described. Adding this formulation to a mixture of polyester resin and silica leads to a decrease of the viscosity of the polyester resin/silica system and the mechanical properties of the composite thus formed are improved.