Silica reinforced triblock copolymer gels

The effect of silica and polymer coated silica particles as reinforcing agents on the structural and mechanical properties of polystyrene–poly(ethylene/butylene)–polystyrene (PS–PEB–PS) triblock gel has been investigated. Different types of chemically modified silica have been compared in order to evaluate the influence of the compatibility between gel and filler. Time-resolved SANS and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) shows that the presence of silica particles affects the ordering of the polystyrene domains during gelsetting. The scattering pattern of silica-reinforced gels reveals strong scattering at very low q, but no structure and formfactor information. However, on heating above the viscoelastic to plastic transition, the ‘typical’ scattering pattern of the copolymer gel builds-up. All reinforced gels are strengthened by the addition of the reinforcing agent. The transitions from a viscoelastic rubber to a plastic fluid and from a plastic fluid to a viscoelastic liquid are shifted to more elevated temperatures when silica is added to the triblock copolymer gel.