M. Fuji et al., THE CHANGE IN THE WATER-VAPOR AFFINITY OF FINE SILICA PARTICLES LOADED WITH TRIMETHYLSILYL GROUPS, Advanced powder technology, 8(4), 1997, pp. 325-334
Microscopic and macroscopic wettabilities of fine silica powder surfac
es loaded with trimethylsilyl groups (TMS) were studied. The modificat
ion was carried out by the chemical reaction of hexamethyldisilazane (
HMDS) molecules with surface silanols and the TMS coverage was determi
ned by elemental analysis of carbon. The microscopic wettability was i
nvestigated by water vapor adsorption and IR spectroscopic methods. Th
e macroscopic wettability was examined by various preferential dispers
ion tests. The results are summarized as follows. (1) HMDS molecules p
referentially reacted with free type surface silanols. (2) The macrosc
opic wettability drastically changed at a TMS coverage of about 40%. (
3) The effect of steric hindrance appeared clearly at a TMS coverage a
bove 40%. Hence, a part of the residual surface silanols is shielded b
y TMS and water molecules will not access these sites. (4)In the case
of TMS coverage below about 40%, cooperative adsorption takes place at
the first stage of adsorption. Then by the occurrence of multilayer a
dsorption, a continuous two-dimensional water layer is formed at the l
atter stage of adsorption. On the Ether hand, in the case of coverage
above about 40%, the adsorbed amount was about 65% of the theoretical
monolayer capacity in spite of a high relative pressure at about P/P-0
= 1. Therefore, such a continuous two-dimensional water layer is not
formed on account of the steric hindrance of the TMS and multilayer ad
sorption will not occur in this case. The surface property is estimate
d to be hydrophobic. (5) The results of preferential dispersion tests
as the macroscopic wettability are in agreement with the results of wa
ter vapor affinity as the microscopic wettability.