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Environmentally-Friendly Physico-Chemical Rapid Ultrasonic Recycling Of Fumed Silica-Filled Poly(Dimethyl Siloxane) Vulcanizate, Sang Eun Shim, Victor V. Yashin, Avraam I. Isayev

Avraam I Isayev

Fumed silica-filled PDMS, where quite a strong interaction exists between the filler and matrix via hydrogen bonding, was recycled by means of an extruder with high power ultrasound attachment. It was found that the reinforcing filler plays an important role in the devulcanization process. Compared to the precipitated silica-filled PDMS, higher power is consumed during the devulcanization process of fumed silica-filled PDMS due to a strong interaction between the fumed silica particles and PDMS chains. The decrease in crosslink density after the devulcanization process shows that the process is quite dependent on the concentration of fumed silica. Throughout a simulation …