Synthesis of Organosilane‐Modified Carbon Nanofibers and Influence of Silane Coating Thickness on the Performance of Polyethylene Nanocomposites

Silane coatings with different thicknesses were synthesized on CNFs for reinforcement of polyethylene composites. The thickness of the silane coating was adjusted by using a basic catalyst to increase the overall reactivity of the silane groups, resulting in a thick coating of ≈46 nm (ca. 90% increase in fiber diameter). DMA performed on the polyethylene composites showed a substantial increase in storage modulus from 1.68 to 2.34 GPa (40%) at low temperatures in the composite with the thick silane coating (≈46 nm) at a low loading of 0.4 wt.‐%. We believe that the silane‐treated nanofillers with thick coatings are very promising for high‐performance nanocomposites with non‐polar polymer matrices. magnified image