Novel functional silica nanoparticles for rubber vulcanization and reinforcement

A high reactive sulfocompound, sulfur monochloride, was chemically supported onto the surface of silica (silica-s-S2Cl2) by the reaction between chloric atom and silanol hydroxyl to obtain a novel vulcanizing agent, silica supported sulfur monochloride (silica-s-S2Cl2). Silica-s-S2Cl2 can be homogeneously dispersed in SBR matrix as a modifier and cure the styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) without sulfur as a novel high-efficiency vulcanizing agent. The sulfur and Bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] Tetrasulfide (TESPT) silane coupling agent vulcanized SBR composites were mainly polysulfide crosslinks, on the contrary, the vulcanization by silica-s-S2Cl2 give priority to the mono- and disulfides crosslinks. The highlight of this work lies in the fact that apparent improvement has been achieved by novel and high efficient functional particles due to the silica surface supported with sulfur monochloride, which may open up new opportunities for the preparation of functional nano-fillers in rubber industry.