Evidence for Chemical Bond Formation at Silane Coupling Agent Interfaces

Abstract

An investigation of the physical chemical role of silane coupling agents at the glass-resin interface has been conducted. Radio actively labeled coupling agents were synthesized and purified, and their adsorption on E-glass and aerosil surfaces studied. The infor mation obtained from these tracer studies and from electron photo micrographic examination of fiber surfaces indicate that coupling agents form continuous films on E-glass surfaces with covalent bonding occurring at the interface. Failure of the glass-coupling agent interface in the presence of boiling water occurs by attack on the glass substrate itself. Using radioactive tracer techniques, it was also determined that copolymerization can occur at the coupling agent-resin interface.