Vinyltrimethoxysilane: Applications in Polymer Composites and its Safety Risks

Vinyltrimethoxysilane is a colorless transparent liquid with an ester smell. It slowly hydrolyzes in water to generate the corresponding silanol and is soluble in organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, and acetone.

Vinyltrimethoxysilane is a general-purpose organic silane coupling agent, mainly used as a polyethylene crosslinking agent; glass fiber surface treatment agent; synthetic special coatings; electronic component surface moisture-proof treatment; inorganic silicon-containing filler surface treatment, etc.

Figure 1. Vinyltrimethoxysilane

Application

1. Used for polyethylene crosslinking to manufacture wire, cable insulation and sheath materials

Vinyltrimethoxysilane is an important crosslinking agent for crosslinked polyethylene. Compared with general peroxide crosslinking and radiation crosslinking, its crosslinking process is easy to control, suitable for a wide range of polyethylene densities, suitable for the production of fan-shaped wire cores of special shapes, and has the characteristics of fast extrusion speed. Silane crosslinked polyethylene has excellent electrical properties, good heat resistance, and stress cracking resistance.

2. Used for cross-linking polyethylene to make heat-resistant pipes, hoses and films

Cross-linked polyethylene made with vinyl trimethoxysilane as a cross-linking agent has the characteristics of resistance to aromatic hydrocarbons, oil resistance, stress cracking resistance, high mechanical strength, good heat resistance, etc., and can be used for 50 years at 80°C. It can be used for the anti-corrosion and thermal insulation outer sheath of long-distance oil pipelines, natural gas, and coal gas pipelines, and the corresponding anti-corrosion and thermal insulation heat shrink tube repair materials; it can be used for water supply pipes and hot water pipes in civil residences.

3. Used for impregnation treatment of glass fiber and inorganic silicon-containing fillers

Vinyl trimethoxysilane can improve the wettability and adhesion of resin and glass fiber, thereby effectively improving the mechanical strength and electrical properties of FRP and plastic laminated products, improving the weather resistance, water resistance and heat resistance of FRP, extending the service life of the product, and giving the product better electromagnetic wave permeability.

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