20130059987 | Functionalized Silicon Carbide And Functionalized Inorganic Whiskers For Improving Abrasion Resistance Of Polymers - Inorganic particulate or whiskers are surface-treated to facilitate receptivity to covalent bonding with a coupling agent. Surface treatment forms reactive groups that enable the inorganic particulate or whiskers to covalently bond to a reactive group of the coupling agent. The coupling agent also contains organofunctional groups, which in some examples may be covalently bonded to a polymer matrix by way of crosslinking or by co-polymerizing the functionalized particulate or whiskers together with polymer precursors. The resulting polymeric materials exhibit markedly improved abrasion resistance as well as other improved properties. | 03-07-2013 |