The method of adding other inorganic or organic substances (additives) to the polymer to change its mechanical properties, processing properties, performance or cost reduction is called filling modification.
According to the form of inorganic or organic additives and the effect on performance improvement, additives can be divided into reinforcing agents and fillers. Generally, the additive that interacts strongly with the matrix resin at the interface and has a large effect of improving mechanical properties is called a reinforcing agent (or reinforcing material), while the additive that has a small interface interaction and a small effect of improving mechanical properties is called a filler. As far as the shape is concerned, the fiber with a large aspect ratio is called a reinforcing agent, and the granular and powdery substances are called fillers. According to the custom, adding a reinforcing agent for modification is called enhanced modification, and adding fillers for modification is called filling modification.
Fillers in filling modification can play multiple roles: increment enhancement and endow with functions. And increment is the main one.
(1) increment
Add cheap fillers to polymers to reduce costs and save raw materials. Its main function is to increase, so the fillers at this time are also called extenders.
(2) enhancement
Fillers can improve the mechanical and thermal properties of polymers, and their effects largely depend on the physical properties of fillers such as morphology.
(3) endow with functions
Fillers can endow some special functions that the polymer itself does not have, and the chemical composition of the filler often plays an important role at this time.
Most mixtures filled with granular fillers have a structure similar to that of a polymer blend in which there is a continuous phase, the filler is the dispersed phase (only smaller in particle size), and the polymer is the continuous phase. There is an interface layer between the continuous phase and the dispersed phase, and the two phases are combined through the interface layer. The bonding effect of the interface layer is different due to the nature of the resin and the nature of the filler. The dispersion state of the filler in the polymer is related to its surface activity and mixing process. If a good chemical combination between the filler and the resin can be achieved, the filling effect will be greatly improved, and some fillers will also play a reinforcing role. The most effective way to achieve good chemical bonding is to surface-treat fillers and reinforcements with coupling agents.
Commonly used fillers include calcium carbonate, carbon black, talc powder, red mud, wollastonite, fly ash, iron mud, mica and metal fillers.
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