There is a need for tough PDMS that maintains its optical clarity and high temperature resistance. Fillers increase the modulus, toughness, and tear resistance of PDMS, but diminish optical clarity. Entanglements can be used to improve the mechanical properties of PDMS, without impacting desirable properties. By enhancing entanglements, we can further increase the modulus, toughness, and tear resistance of PDMS elastomers while maintaining optical clarity and high temperature resistance. Here we discuss our efforts to synthesize novel PDMS network architectures with entanglement promoted toughness.

Toughening PDMS through entanglements

256th National Meeting (2018)

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