Effect of poly(trifluoropropylmethylvinylsiloxane) additive on the surface properties of polydimethylsiloxane applied to outdoor insulation

This paper describes the effect of blending of poly(trifluoropropylmethylvinylsiloxane) (PTFPMVS) with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) on the surface properties of the blend, such as hydrophobicity. We have investigated the surface molecular mobility of the PDMS/PTFPMVS blends via dynamic contact angle measurements and adhesion tension relaxation. We found that a flexible side-chain segment in PTFPMVS which imparts high surface energy could be reoriented easily in water to decrease the interfacial tension of the polymer/water interface. This surface functionality seems to play a major role in the decrease of receding contact angle and the surface resistivity of PDMS/PTFPMVS blends during wet electrical aging.