Modification of polydimethylsiloxane with polyvinylpyrrolidone: Influence of reinforcing filler on physico-mechanical properties

The present article reports an approach for the modification of hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with low molecular weight hydrophilic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via solution blending method to develop new PDMS‐based materials with improved mechanical performance and wettability which can be used in many biomedical applications. The influence of dimethyldichlorosilane treated fumed silica (FS) on physico‐mechanical properties of PDMS–PVP blends were investigated and analyzed. There was the significant improvement in mechanical, dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of PDMS–PVP blends, whereas, transparency and contact angle were slightly decreased after incorporation of FS into PDMS–PVP blends. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the fourfold reduction in the average domain size of the dispersed PVP in the PDMS matrix in the presence of compatibilizer (PDMS‐PEO block copolymer) when compared with the uncompatibilized PDMS–PVP blend morphology. By incorporation of FS into the neat PDMS matrix, the onset of degradation (Ti), the maximum rate of degradation (Tmax) and overall thermal stabilities increased significantly. On the other hand, by the addition of FS into to PDMS–PVP blends, the Ti and Tmax remains unaffected, but overall thermal stabilities increased significantly. PDMS–PVP blends exhibited low contact angle (∼45°) which confirmed the formation of the hydrophilic surface. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:491–499, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers