Effect of Fumed Silica Filler on Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Polysulfide Sealant

In this paper, two types of filled polymers were prepared using gas-silicone and hydrophobic gas-silicon combined with liquid polysulfide rubber JLY155. The study investigated the impact of gas-silicon with specific surface areas ranging from 150-380 m2/g on the rheology of the filled polymer LP/SiO2. The results indicated that the storage modulus (G') and composite viscosity (η) of both types of gas-silicon increased with the specific surface area, while the linear viscoelastic region narrowed, and the viscosity decreased significantly. When compared to hydrophilic gas silicon, hydrophobic gas silicon has a narrower linear viscoelastic region width. The mechanical properties of the filled polymers prepared using different gas silicons are vulcanized to create polysulfide sealants. Upon testing the mechanical properties, it was discovered that the tensile strength of hydrophobic HB150, HB200, and HB380 is higher. Additionally, the elongation at break increases with the decrease in specific surface area. This finding offers valuable insights into the process conditions of gas silicon in polysulfide sealant formulation and preparation.