Synthesis and characterization of addition-type silicone rubbers (ASR) using a novel cross linking agent PH prepared by vinyl-POSS and PMHS

A novel cross-linker (denoted as PH) prepared using vinyl-POSS and poly(methylhydrogensiloxane) (PMHS), was introduced to vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (VPDMS) matrix to prepare a series of addition-type silicone rubbers (ASR) for the first time. Morphology, thermal properties and mechanical properties of these ASR were respectively studied by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and universal tensile testing machine. The results revealed that the thermal stabilities and mechanical properties of ASR were significantly enhanced by the addition of PH compared with the traditional cross-linker PMHS. It was found that the tensile strength of ASR prepared using PH as cross-linker was strikingly increased by 43.8% compared with the one prepared using PMHS as cross-linker. The striking enhancements in thermal properties and improvements on mechanical properties of ASR were likely attributed to the increase of dimensionality of novel cross-linked networks in novel ASR.