Has anyone practical experience of using fumed silica or colloidal silica in thermoplastics for improvement of mechanical properties or abrasion resistance?
Nanno particles usually have little effect on abrasion resistance. You cannot get the filler level very high and the small particles simply get gouged out with the plastic during abrasion.
FWIW, fumed silica does generally improve properties and abrasion resistance in vulcanized rubber compounds, typically with some silane coupling agent assisting.
tom