For many applications, silicas are not satisfactory alternatives
to carbon blacks because of their relatively lower
reinforcement levels. The fundamental problem is their
surface chemistry, which is more polar and hydrated than
carbon blacks, and which cause them to be difficult to wet,
disperse and interact with hydrocarbon rubbers. Numerous
methods have been carried out to improve the reactivity of
silicas with the rubber phases. One such method is the
utilization of a silane-coupling agent to modify the surface
of the silica. The modified silica provide chemically active
surfaces that can participate in vulcanization, providing
coupling bonds between the silane and both the silica and
the rubber phases [4,5]. Those products show significant
improvement in performance compared to their base
materials.